War hero Udaybhan Singh threatened by Toilet Mafia- pic/mid dayHe fought and defeated Pakistan in 1965. Now 68-year-old Udaybhan Singh alleges he is in danger after filing an RTI plea on illegal charges at public conveniences in Delhi
The battleground has changed. In 1965, Udaybhan Singh, then a part of the Agra regiment, took the Pak army head on. Now the 68-year-old, who has turned an RTI activist, is waging a lone crusade against enemies closer to home. It all began when Singh went to a public toilet run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Soldiering on: Udaybhan Singh says a woman visited him with her husband and threatened she would implicate him in a false case if he didn't mend his ways. According to the civic agency the lavatories are free for public. But Singh discovered that the person sitting at the gate was charging between two and five rupees a person.
"I visited almost all the MCD toilets in the area and found that a gang was at work, making money from the public conveniences. The person sitting on a chair outside charged every person two rupees for urinating and five rupees for defecating.
I filed a RTI on 26th of August, about the operating system of the MCD. But the civic agency replied that all the toilets are free for public. I saw with my own eyes that sweepers of MCD do not clean the toilets but the agency replied on the 3rd of November that designated employees clean the toilets on a regular basis," said Udaybhan Singh. MiD DAY has a copy of the RTI.
But as soon as he started his campaign, Udaybhan started receiving threats from the toilet mafia. He was asked to stay away from their business or face consequences.
"I was surprised when the toilet mafia of the area got information about me and the RTI and started threatening me. They warned me of dire consequences if I meddled in their affairs. I intimated the local police immediately on the 12th of October.
But cops didn't take any action on the complaint. Again on November 13, a lady came to my house with her husband and threatened me to stay away or she would falsely implicate me in a case. Without delay I again complained at the Govindpuri police station the next day. But no one took my case seriously," Udaybhan added. Udaybhan is now planning to complain about the situation to higher authorities. Cops confirmed that Udaybhan had complained about the threats but refused to comment further on the issue.
55% of Indians still defecate in the open which costs the nation Rs 12 billion due to poor sanitation and related illnesses. Number of people who have no access to toilets, globally is 1100 million (According to a WHO-UNICEF report)
Toilet mafia threatens war hero
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