Mamata Banerjee government wakes up to ailing gymnast's plight

Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, Jan 26 (IANS)

Days after the family of ailing gymnast Soumita Dey lamented the lack of assistance from the West Bengal government, state Youth Affairs Minister Arup Biswas Monday assured he would look into the matter. Suffering from Neurosarcoidosis since 2012 and with the lower half of her body paralysed, the former gymnast and judge in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is undergoing treatment at a city nursing home.

"I am going to meet her today (Monday) and will surely look into what we can do for her," Biswas told IANS.

Unable to bear the medical expenses, the family of the critically ill gymnast has been moving from pillar-to-post seeking assistance.

With Tamil Nadu's ruling party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary J. Jayalalithaa announcing Rs.5 lakh as aid, the gymnast's father Simanta Dey had rued not getting any help from the Mamata Banerjee government in the state.

"We belong to a middle-class family and her treatment expenses are huge. We tried garnering help from the state government, but nothing came our way. We got in touch with the local leaders from the ruling party who promised financial help too, but it has still not arrived," Dey had told IANS.

West Bengal Olympic Association president Ajit Banerjee who met Dey at the nursing home too has called for helping out the gymnast.

"We are doing our bit but others too need to come forward. She represented Bengal at the national level for nearly a decade so its our duty to ensure her wellbeing," said Banerjee.