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Odisha announces monthly pension of Rs 20,000 & free medical treatment for Emergency detainees

The pension amount will be sanctioned in favour of the living persons (those who were alive as on January 1, 2025) irrespective of the period of their detention.

The decision, which is set to spark fresh political wrangling, was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday.(Photo: Mohan Charan Majhi/X)

People detained in various jails of Odisha during the Emergency will now be eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 20,000 and free medical treatment, the state’s Mohan Charan Majhi government announced Monday.

“The state government, after careful consideration, have been pleased to provide pension and other benefits to the persons detained in jail in state of Odisha under MISA (The Maintenance of Internal Security Act, 1971) or DIR (The Defence of India Rules) or DISIR (The Defence and Internal Security of India Rules) during the period from 25.06.1975 to 21.03.1977,” said an official order issued by the home department.

Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had declared a 21-month National Emergency between 1975 to 1977 citing internal and external threats to the country. The Odisha government’s move is also part of the political agenda of the BJP, which has been a strong critic of the Emergency.

The pension amount will be sanctioned in favour of the living persons (i.e. those who were alive as on January 1, 2025) irrespective of the period of their detention. These benefits will also be provided for the period starting from 1st January, 2025.

Though the state government has no official data on exact number of people detained during the Emergency and how many of them are alive now, it has come up with guidelines to avail the pension amount. The government will also analyse the jail records to identify Emergency detainees.

A number of persons detained during the Emergency are in senior positions in different political parties.

The official order came days after Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced pensions to those detained during Emergency during a function to All Indian Freedom Fighters Day on January 2. He also described the Emergency as the “darkest period” of Independent India.

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With this decision, Odisha also joined a number of other BJP-ruled states in the country providing pension to the detainees from that period.

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