Still Honest workers are available

Honest railway worker returns money found in train

Hemender Sharma, CNN-IBN

Bhopal: There are many Indians who are living examples of courage and decency, and who believe in doing constructive work for a better future. Bhagwan Das is one such Indian. He has worked as a railway attendant since 1984 and every time a towel or bedsheet goes missing from the AC section of the train, the cost is deducted from his salary.

On September 15, Bhagwan Das got a chance to recover his losses, but he didn't. Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit left behind a bag with Rs ten lakh in the train, Bhagwan Das, however, didn't hesitate even for a second. He picked up Dixit's bag with the money and took it straight to the office.

Corruption may be headline news, but this rundown railway station in Bhopal was lit up by Bhagwan Das's honesty.

Bhagwan Das said, "I'm happy with the little salary that I get. My family is also happy. After I saw the packet containing the money I told the mechanic that we will give it to our superiors and we deposited the money with our bosses."

Bhagwan Das has been feted with a cash reward of Rs 2000 from his superior in Jabalpur. In fact, the Railway DRM has written to officials for a suitable reward. But for this 54-year-old man who lives in Lalitpur near Jhansi and travels to Bhopal and Delhi for work, money is not the reigning thought.

"I have three sons, I have got them married to women from poor families. I have got two daughters and I have got them married in poor families. We really don't need to bother about money," Bhagwan Das said.

When Anna Hazare was sitting on a fast at Ramlila Maidan during his 'India against corruption' campaign, Bhagwan Das had gone to meet him in Delhi, but pushed by the massive crowd, he was not able to get anywhere even close to the Gandhian. But he's not unhappy, walking the long dusty platforms, through his busy days, Bhagwan Das knows what he must do.