Assam govt offers “menial” job to forgotten London Olympics torchbearer Pinki Karmakar

GUWAHATI: 

India's torchbearer at the London Olympics 2012, Pinki Karmakar has been offered a temporary job at the Assam Tea Employees Provident Fund Organization (ATEPFO) after her plight came to light recently.

Assam Tea Tribes and Labour Welfare Minister, Sanjoy Kishan handed over the appointment letter to Karmakar during a programme organised for Independence Day at Borborooah Tea Estate auditorium.

The appointed letter read that Karmakar has been temporarily appointed at the ATEPFO zonal office in Dibrugarh for a period of 3 months on full-time basis for a consolidated pay of Rs 9,000 per month.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Karmakar said, "I don't know how to react to the job offer. I'm still not sure what the job is. It is very confusing. Yesterday, they hurriedly gave me the appointment letter during a programme. I was asked by the organisers not to open the envelope containing the appointment letter or to show it to the media persons. After opening it, I came to know that I was appointed as a menial worker for a period of 3 months."

The 26-year old is currently working as a tea plucker at Borborooah tea estate in Dibrugarh for a paltry wage of Rs 167 per day.

After her return from London, Karmakar's feat was forgotten by government and the people.  And it was only during the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics that her plight was highlighted by the media.

(Edited by Shankar Kumar Turha)

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