By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Murshidabad/Kolkata: Away from the media glare of Kolkata where everyone was busy playing the story of demise of Students' Federation of India (SFI) leader, Sudipta Gupta, another SFI activist is suffering even as his family denied any government job.
Josef Azam Hossain, an SFI activist from Murshidabad, was seriously injured by the district police on the April 2, 2013 protest and seriously fractured his right hand. He, however, refused the offer of government jobs from Police Super of Murshidabad on behalf of West Bengal Government.
Josef Azam Hossain, Murshidabad district SFI leader being taken to hospital, injured in the police action during a protest on 2 April, 2013 in Kolkata. (File Picture)
23 years old SFI leader Sudipta Gupta was a post graduate from Kolkata based Rabindra Bharati University. After death of a SFI leader Sudipta Gupta in police custody under controversial circumstances on April 2, there was uproar in the media as his father even denied any government job offered by the Mamata Banerjee’s government.
However, there was little coverage on Hossain who was first admitted to the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata and doctors said that his one hand my never work properly. As the media got busy with the death of Gupta, Hossain continued to struggle in a private hospital in south Kolkata, where he was later shifted.
Doctors performed a surgery for over nine hours on his hand, and even then there is little chance that his right hand would work properly. After being discharged from the hospital on April 16, he has now gone to his home in the Murshidabad district.
TCN called Josef Azam Hossain over telephone on 17 April to know his present condition.
Josef Azam Hossain is a final year students of Bengali honours, studying in Berhampur Commerce College in Murshidabad. His native village is Bhalkundi under the Joypur Gram Panchayet of Khargram police station.
His father, Azad Hossain works as assistant in Rasulpur Gram Panchayet, and his elder brother was working in Mumbai, before he died on April 15, 2013.
As his one son is struggling for life, and another son died of disease, elder Hossain is in deep anguish and does not know what has befallen his family.
Josef Azam Hossain is a member of Murshidabad District unit of SFI and Zonal secretary of Khargram. Talking to TCN, Josef Hossain thanked the senior CPIM leaders for all the supports they extended.
State secretary of CPIM, Biman Basu and many other senior leaders visited him in the hospital several times and bared all the expenses of hospital and surgery, he informed. He added that the Police super of Murshidabad, Humaun Kabir came to meet him personally and enquired about his health.
Josef Azam Hossain being taken to Presidency Jail after his arrest for taking part in a protest.
Kumar communicated to him the state government’s job offer, but he out rightly denied it. He told TCN, “Murshidabad is a Muslim dominated district and so many of them are waiting for jobs, but Mamata Banerjee Government has done little for the community, despite seizing on the Zilla Parishad. Even many central government’s welfare schemes are disrupted.” He hence denied the job offer, he said.
Gram Panchayet pradhan of Joypur, Kanailal Ghosh told TCN that Josef Hossain and his family has generally been a good resident of the village and often engaged himself in social works in his village and surrounding areas.
A brave Joseph said that once he gets well, he will continue to serve his party and work for the people, even if his one hand does not work well.