‘She told me I am blind because of my past deeds’: Woman recounts abuse at Christmas event |
Safalta Kartik, a visually impaired woman from Jabalpur, is on the verge of becoming a teacher after completing her final B.Ed exams – an achievement carved out through years of struggle against disability, poverty, and indifference.
But last Saturday at the Prince of Peace Church in Jabalpur’s Kattanga area, Safalta was allegedly abused verbally, manhandled, and publicly humiliated by Anju Bhargav, the BJP’s district vice president, while attending a Christmas lunch with around 200 visually impaired students from the government-run Andhmukh School. Bhargav allegedly went so far as to say Safalta should be born blind even in her next life.
A video of the incident has recently gone viral on social media. However, no FIR has been filed so far, and when Newslaundry reached out to Neel Kamal, the SHO at Gorakhpur police station, he was unavailable for comment.
Safalta, however, has told Newslaundry that she is in the process of filing an FIR. “I am discussing it with those close to me and will definitely file it,” she said.
A simple gathering that turned violent
For the past six years, Safalta has been attending Pastor Dharmendra Jena's Christmas lunch for visually impaired children in Jabalpur – a simple gathering she never imagined would one day invite hate, abuse, and physical assault.
Speaking to Newslaundry, Safalta said, “I have been coming to the Christmas lunch organised by Jena sir for the last six years. He organises it every year for blind children. This year, too, we received an........