RUKHSANA 2 LAST

"At around 9 pm, they had knocked our doors. They forced
my parents to open the door and started beating them up,"
Rukhsana said. She recalled how she and 18-year-old Eijaz
scuffled with the militants, hit them with an axe and killed
one of them after snatching his AK-47 rifle.
Rukhsana, whose bravery had came in for praise from
President Pratibha Patil and Home Minister P Chidambaram, said
children should be given military training and made aware of
how terrorists were wreaking havoc. "Kashmir is ours and will
be so. We will fight the militants," she said.
Asked whether she is ready to join the army if given a
chance, she said "yes". To a question, Rukhsana said no major
political leader had come to meet her after the incident.
Eijaz said he also wants a Central government job. He said
the family is not safe is Rajouri. "Some people asked me if I
will be going to my house on October 29. I said yes, after
which the grenade attack came at the night."
Anti-Terrorist Front chairman M S Bitta, who presented a
Saibaba idol to Rukhsana and posed carrying swords with the
family, said the girl should be given a job in CRPF or BSF.
He alleged that "big political leaders" were shying away
from meeting Rukhsana and no official other than the Rajouri
SSP has came to her aid. A Maharashtra university was to award
her, but scrapped the plan due to a "terror threat", he said.
"Why the BJP, which talks of tough stand against terror,
has not honoured her," he asked adding, he has a feeling that
Rukhsana was not getting her due as she is a Muslim.
Rukhsana's mother Rashida said she is proud of her
daughter and wants her to work for the country. PTI