Promise Lost in Paperwork — Terror Victim’s Family Stuck in ‘Miles of Red Tape’

 Nearly a year after a terror attack shattered their lives, the Jagdale family now finds itself battling not grief alone, but the machinery of bureaucracy — slow, distant, and unresponsive.

The experience echoes what legendary journalist Khushwant Singh once described as India’s endless maze of files and officials: countless “babus” and miles of red tape.

Twenty-six-year-old Asawari Jagdale, daughter of Santosh Jagdal,e who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last year, has now appealed to the Union government after waiting ten months for the government job publicly promised to her.

Grief followed by silence

With the family’s sole earning member gone, finances have tightened sharply. Asawari left her private job to care for her grieving mother, expecting the state’s assurance of employment to provide stability.

Instead, she says, the family has been repeatedly asked to visit government offices without any clear decision.

Officials made announcements, she recalls, but nothing followed on paper. Visits to administrative offices ended with instructions to “come again later”.

Attempts to meet senior leaders failed due to scheduling issues. Letters sent to authorities brought no response.

As the public attention around the attack faded, so too did official communication.

Assurance without action

In the days after the tragedy, senior leaders had publicly promised assistance, including a compassionate government appointment. According to the family, that assurance has not materialised.

Asawari says she cannot take another private job because she may have to resign midway if the government appointment arrives, yet the promised position remains uncertain.

The family is surviving on savings while coping with emotional trauma.

She approached several political representatives and even wrote to central authorities seeking help. Eventually, a local Member of Parliament raised the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting intervention to ensure the assurance is honoured.

File awaiting approval

The Pune Municipal Corporation had proposed offering her a post months ago, but the file remains pending for state approval. Officials confirm they are still waiting for a response.

The family has asked that she be appointed either to the earlier promised administrative position or another suitable government role so that financial security can be restored.

A larger reflection

The case highlights a familiar pattern: swift announcements in moments of tragedy followed by prolonged administrative delay. Compensation and rehabilitation policies exist, yet families often struggle navigating procedures meant to help them.

For the Jagdales, the issue is no longer just employment — it is about dignity and trust. Public assurances raised hope; bureaucratic inaction has prolonged distress.

Their experience revives Khushwant Singh’s enduring observation: the system does not always deny relief, it simply delays it — sometimes until hope itself grows weary.

#RedTape #Bureaucracy #TerrorVictims #GovernmentAccountability #PublicPolicy #IndiaNews #AdministrativeDelay #JusticeDelayed