Maharashtra govt allots Rs 119 crore for those jailed during Emergency

The 2014-19 government led by Fadnavis had started the scheme to honour these individuals, calling it a ‘fight to save democracy’.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and others on the first day of Monsoon Session of Maharashtra Assembly, at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. (PTI Photo)

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday allotted Rs 119 crore to pay a monthly honorarium to those who were jailed for protesting against the Emergency in 1975-76.

The allotment was made in the supplementary demands presented by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state legislative assembly. The demands will now be discussed by the House members before being passed.

The 2014-19 government led by Fadnavis had started the scheme to honour these individuals, calling it a ‘fight to save democracy’. The scheme was embroiled in controversy even then too as several potential beneficiaries belonging to socialist and Left movements had refused to accept the honorarium.

After the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – comprising Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress – came to power in 2019, it cancelled the scheme. One of the first decisions of the BJP and rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde’s government was to restart the scheme. The allotment of Rs 119 crore will pay not only the monthly honorarium but also the arrears for two-and-half years of MVA government.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram