Rajasthan Govt: 'Emergency detainees are not freedom fighters'

State Government of Rajasthan on Monday has taken a call to withdraw allowances being provided to all those that have been detained under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during Emergency imposed by n Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. Government has stated that y were t freedom fighters and hence withdrawal of allowances. 

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Will save Rs. 40 crore annually

In a meeting of state Cabinet Ministers chaired by Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot, government furr also reversed its decision to hold direct elections for posts of mayors and chairpersons in corporations and municipalities. When Gehlot-led Congress came to power last year, it h introduced direct elections. decision to discontinue pension, medical assistance and or benefits to MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act), DIR (defence of India) detainees in state will save Rs. 40 crore annually, according to a press release issued later. On doing away with allowances being given to those detained under MISA during Emergency, state parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal said, "We do t consider MISA detainee as a freedom fighter". MISA detainees were getting a pension of Rs. 20,000 per month. It was increased from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 20,000 per month by previous BJP government in July 2018. 

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'Celebrating Emergency'

cabinet also took or decisions including TSP (tribal sub-plan) reservation benefit to a woman from a n-TSP area if she marries to a man of TSP area. Opposition BJP said government has taken a U-turn on its own decision as it was under fear ahe of local bodies' elections which are due next month "because of a wave of patriotism" under leership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. " government has taken a U-turn on election manifesto, where Congress h promised to hold direct elections. Congress was hoping that ir caste politics will give m opportunity but after abrogation of Article 370, wave of patriotism again started in country under PM Modi's leership," BJP state president Satish Poonia said.

BJP MLA and former education minister Vasudev Devnani said that decision to discontinue pension to MISA detainees was like "celebrating Emergency". " state government has stopped pension to MISA detainees. It is like celebrating emergency. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi h sent lakhs of people behind bars under MISA after Emergency and to prove that right, Congress government in state is discontinuing ir pension," Devnani said. 

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" Emergency"

 " Emergency" is darkest period in India's history. It is a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977, when PM Indira Gandhi h a state of emergency declared across country. Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of Constitution because of prevailing "internal disturbance", Emergency was in effect from 26 June 1975 until its withdrawal in January 1977. order bestowed upon Prime Minister authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed. For much of Emergency, most of Gandhi's political opponents were imprisoned and press was censored. Several or human rights violations were reported from time, including a forced mass-sterilisation campaign. Emergency is one of most controversial periods of independent India's history.

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(Inputs from PTI)