Born in ATM queue, baby gets birthday gift from Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: An 11-old-month baby boy received his first birthday gift—a cheque of Rs 10,000—from former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday.

He was born last year on December 2 in Kanpur Dehat under unusual circumstances. His mother, Sarvesha was standing in a queue for five hours at a bank, to collect her widow pension after demonetisation, when her labour pain had set in.

No one helped her except the woman’s mother Shashi, who took her to a corner where she delivered the boy.

Following this, the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav named the boy as ‘Khazanchi’ (cashier)  and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakhs for the baby who gradually turned into a brand ambassador against the note-ban. To highlight the problems of people faced during this time, Mr Yadav narrated the story of Khazanchi’s birth in his public meetings during the Assembly elections.

On Thursday, Mr Yadav, sent Rs 10,000 to the family with a message that he would visit them to celebrate the boy’s first birthday next month.

Also, he asked the chairman of Jhinjhak nagar panchayat Raj Kumar Yadav to visit the family in Jogidera village and hand over the money. Mr Yadav tweeted: “Khanzachi’s mother does not know what black money is. We cannot celebrate demonetisation but for sure will celebrate the birthday of Khazanchi”.

The money, for Khazanchi’s family could not have come at a better time since his eldest sister Priti is suffering from tuberculosis.

Sarvesha said that the Mr Yadav’s previous gift was used to repay debts amounting to Rs 80,000. Now, it would be used in Priti’s treatment, she added.  

She has also been allotted a house under the Ram Manohar Lohia housing scheme and expects to move there shortly.

“I want my children to get good education. I don’t want them to endure poverty,” she said.  Raj Kumar Yadav, “I will tell Mr Yadav about the family’s problems and we will see how we can help them,” he added.