Bandra woman takes on US govt to get her nanny social security benefits

Nina Merchant holds up a photo of her Maaji Kulsum Hussain Pic Pradeep DhivarNina Merchant 37 canrsquot stand the thought of losing another mother She was a newborn when Kulsum Hussain joined the family as a nanny in the US and became her lsquoMaajirsquo Hussain nursed her through sickness and health doubled as a confidante in the heady teenage years and offered her just the comfort she needed at the death of her mother Merchant is now trying to pay backFor the last 10 years the American citizen who is now a resident of Bandra West has been petitioning the US Consulate General in Mumbai and the US Embassy in New Delhi to provide aid to Hussain also an American citizen under the USrsquo Social Security programshyme Benefits under this social insurance programme are paid out on a monthly basis to retired US workers and their surviving spouses Despite worshykshying in the US for 20 years Hussain didnrsquot qualify for Social Security benefits see boxThe bond the two share hasnt waned over the yearsMerchantrsquos fight to get Hussain her due reparations took on more meaning recently after the 88yearold sustained a spinal injury an acute compression of the vertebrae The aged nanny needs regular physiotherapy and a nutritious diet At her advanced age surgery can be risky Last year she underwent an intestinal surgery when she couldnrsquot pass stool for a month and developed haemorrhoids She had to push back that surgery owing to a lack of fundsAt the age of 40 Hussain a resident of Mumbai found herself widowed and all alone For the next 12 years she fendshyed for herself working as domestic help When an oppshyoshyrtshyushynity to work as a nanny in the US opened up in 1981 she moved and joined the Merchants She was relieved of her service a year after the death of Merchantrsquos mother in 2000 During her 20yearlong service she earned a US citizenship and paid her taxesA little Nina is fed cake by Maaji back home in the USImmobilised by fallSince her return to Mumbai she has subsisted on an interest of R1000 a month earned on her savingsTwo months ago Hussain had a fall in her room at a chawl in Mazgaon and she damaged her spine ldquoShe is a very strong and independent woman Rarely did she complain about her health I called her up late at night a few days ago and found her speech was slurred She told me she had been suffering from incontinence and excruciating pain in the legs for two days I rushed to her houserdquo says Merchant She found Hussain sitting in the dark with a bushymp on the head and learnt of her fall Merchant rushed her to Prince Aly Khan Hospital in Mazgaon where she was admitted to the ICUKulsum HussainldquoShe sustained a haematshyoma clotting of the blood in the head and a spinal injury She has been prescribed continuous treatment physiotherapy and a balanced diet I have been helping her with the treatment but it isnrsquot enoughrdquo Merchant admits Hussain neshyeds the support of a walker and a caregiver at all times The medical bills have eaten up almost all her savingsFight for justiceMerchant who moved to Mumshybai 13 years ago says the fall prompted her to soldier on with the lsquofight for justicersquo ldquoEvery US citizen is liable for benshyefits of the US government even if they stay outsishyde the coushyntry I want Maaji to get the treatment and live in comfort She paid taxes in the US Why canrsquot government help herrdquo she asks ldquoHow can it abandon its citizen just because she didnrsquot have enough Social Security work credits to qualify for the benefits She is not an Indian citizen anymore nor is the US government willing to help Where does it leave herrdquoGaurav Malhotra social activist helping MerchantGaurav Malhotra a social activist in Delhi who is helping Merchant push her case with the US government says ldquoThe US government often bends rules to help citizens in need And this is a genuine caserdquoMalhotra has shot several mails in the past week to the US Embassy in Delhi asking that Hussain be given Social Security benefits ldquoThe authoshyrities told me that the case has been forwarded to the US Consulate in Mumbairdquo he says The US Consulate General in Mumbai says the case has been forwarded to higher authorities ldquoWe canrsquot commshyent on individual cases But the American citizen services unit at the consulate is ready to assist all US citizens We encourage US citizens seeking assistance with Social Security and other services to come to contact usrdquo says Heidi Hattenbach spokesperson US Consulate General in Mumbai