“‘Bata Hindu hai ya Muslim…’ Those were the last words my father, Santosh Jagdale, heard on April 22nd in Pahalgam, before a terrorist shot him. In an instant, the man who was the pillar of our home, a responsible father and husband, was gone. This trip was supposed to be our last trip together as a family before my wedding. Baba had planned it as a surprise, but little did we know that it would turn out to be the worst nightmare of our lives, one that will haunt us for life.
After the terrorist attack I was in deep shock, but I couldn’t even mourn my father’s death. Two days later, I had to take my father’s body back home. When we reached Pune on 24th April, I performed Baba’s last rites. I wasn’t just a daughter anymore; I was the sole breadwinner. I had to become the strength my mother needed.
A few days later, our home was filled with political leaders like Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar. They offered condolences and a promise: a government job in Pune to help our family survive. I have a MBA degree and a Diploma in Labour Laws. I was promised a Class-2 officer position in the General Administration Department at the Pune Municipal Corporation. By May 9, 2025, my documents were ready. But for 11 months, that promise has been lost.
We’ve spent nearly a year chasing officials, only to be told, ‘We don’t know where the file is,’ or ‘We’ll let you know.’ But what the authorities don’t understand is that this job isn’t just a ‘position’ to me; it’s the only way we can keep a roof over our heads. Before this, I had a corporate job for two years. I had some savings, but I had quit to care for my mother during her health complications. Over the last year, I’ve exhausted those savings to finish my father’s pending work projects, pay our bills, and manage my mother’s medical expenses.
Today, my Aai and I are mentally exhausted. The job proposal is there, the GR is there, but the signature is missing. I hope that the system will keep the word it gave to a victim’s daughter because we aren’t just a ‘file’ or a ‘case number.’ We are a family trying to breathe again.”
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