Desh Raj, an employee of the Central Public Works Department, was assigned to take care of the Parliament lawns. He was working on the flower beds when the militants who had attacked Parliament began to fire indiscriminately. Desh Raj became their first victim.
Desh Raj's family lives in Tilla village in Ghaziabad. His mother, Harbati, now takes care of his teenaged children -- two sons and a daughter -- who go to a government school while his wife, Muneesh, goes to work; she has been given a job in his place. His two brothers and his father live in a separate house in the same village.
Harbati: We were so happy; our lives were going so smoothly. But everything changed after that incident. He [Desh Raj] was my eldest son; he was very close to me. He was the real guardian of the house. He held this job for 22 years. He used to take care of everything. He built the house where we live.
Now, nothing seems to have any meaning because my son is no longer with me. At this age, I have to take care of my grandchildren. I have to cook food for them and see that they go to school everyday on time.
My daughter-in-law had never been to Delhi before this incident. Now, she goes to Delhi everyday for work. She used to stay at home but now she has to travel in the crowded buses. Delhi is so far from here. She has to leave early in the morning and comes back at 7pm and sometimes even 8pm. I am worried throughout the day. Nowadays it is so risky for women to go out in the evenings. I feel relieved when she returns home, but she has to go back the next day.
We have built a small samadhi [memorial] to my son in our field. We are grateful to the CPWD for all their help. They gave Muneesh a job just two months after the incident. They gave us money.
But the government disappointed us. They say the lieutenant governor has stopped our compensation. Nor have we received the petrol station that was promised to us. The government only gives assurances. We have stopped running after the officials now.
My grandchildren are good in their studies. They don't trouble me and they behave like mature elders. Their father took a lot of interest in their studies. I pray that they will do well in the future. The only regret is that their father will not see their success.