In the curfew-hit areas of Vadodara when every shop and kiosk was closed, one man stood unfailingly with his water machine, ready to serve water to security personnel on duty in the riot-torn areas of the city. | |
| Usmangani Jojhanwala needed no curfew passes for his water machine. During the curfew, he was busy as policemen keep thronging to his kiosk in batches, to have a glass of cold water for respite from the searing Vadorara sun. |
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| Jojhanwala, who sits in the communally sensitive area of Khavdi Gate said, "I have been selling water at 50 paisa per glass in normal times for the last 30 years. During communal riots that have taken place in last 30 years, I served water to police and jawans of other forces free of cost. I served some journalists too." |
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| The police even made special arrangements to ferry ice for him and escorted him home during riots. Jojhanwala a resident of Chudiwala Mohalla, in Panigate area said. |
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| Asked why he does not possess curfew pass, Jojhanwala says his service is for the police. |
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| "That is the reason they never ask for pass from me. Also, I never faced problem in procuring water as residents of nearby areas were cooperative and provided me cans of water to run his service". |
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| Rambhai Patel, a constable who benifitted from the services of Jojhanwala, says water was a necessity. All the policemen in the Khavdi gate areas came to him for drinking water. |
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| "We had to go without water for hours together in such situations", he says. However, Jojhanwala has a complaint against the present generation of police. |
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| "Earlier, the police commissioners of Vadodara used to enquire about his well-being and instruct his men to look after me. However, these days, the situation is different," Jojhanwala rues. |
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