Freedom fighters: a fresh batch soon

While the spirit behind the move may be laudable, it could open the floodgates with new claimants, especially those who were marginally involved in the nation’s Independence movement, to this exalted status.

Under the administrative guidelines of 1980, the Centre accords freedom fighter status only to those who were imprisoned for six months or were whipped or lost jobs during the country’s freedom movement.

But the MHA has submitted a proposal to the Cabinet, seeking freedom fighter status for 3,500 satyagrahis who were neither arrested nor whipped, but pushed out of the state for protesting during what is described as the second phase of Goa Liberation Movement in 1955-56. Goa was liberated from the Portuguese in 1961.

While accepting that the protestors do not meet the 1980 guidelines, the MHA supports granting them the status since it had received their ‘‘representation.’’

These satyagrahis, mostly from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, are receiving pension from their states for their involvement in the movement but their inclusion in the Centre’s list would get them higher pension, free rail travel plus an attendant, and authority to nominate a dependant for a government job.

It would also make them eligible to apply for a petrol pump or an LPG agency under the discretionary quota.

The Finance Ministry, which has been advocating cutting down infructuous expenditure, has objected to the proposal saying that it would add an annual burden of Rs 16 crore to the national exchequer.

Sources said that this one-time exception, which comes for Cabinet approval tomorrow, could result in demand for inclusion by those who faced similar treatment during the national freedom struggle.

And if they are admitted, the number of freedom fighters receiving benefits from the Centre would jump substantially from the current 1.6 lakh, the sources pointed out.