Delhi High Court Imposes Fine on Central Government for Delay in Granting Pension to Freedom Fighter
The Delhi High Court has reprimanded the central government for its negligent attitude in granting pension to a 96-year-old freedom fighter, Uttim Lal Singh, and has imposed a fine of Rs 20,000. Singh had been waiting for over 40 years and had to go through numerous hassles to secure his rightful pension.
Justice Subramonium Prasad, in his verdict issued on November 2, expressed deep concern over the state of affairs, describing it as a complete sad state of affairs. He directed the Centre to pay Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension to Singh within 12 weeks, along with interest from 1980.
The court expressed its distress at the treatment meted out to freedom fighters, emphasizing the insensitivity displayed by the Union of India towards individuals who fought for the country’s independence. This lackadaisical approach led the court to impose a cost of Rs 20,000 on the central government. The court ordered the payment of costs to the petitioner within six weeks.
The case highlighted the loss and misplacement of original documents that occurred while they were with the central government. The government of Bihar had recommended Singh’s case and sent the necessary documents to the central government in March 1985. However, the documents went missing during this process.
The court noted that the Bihar government had recently re-verified Singh’s name and forwarded a letter to the central government on July 14, 2022. Despite these efforts, the pension remained unpaid.
The high court firmly denounced the central government’s inaction, which it regarded as an insult to a freedom fighter who was previously declared a proclaimed offender by the British government. The court emphasized that the government’s stonewall approach defeated the very purpose of the pension scheme.
According to Singh’s petition, he was born in 1927 and actively participated in the Quit India Movement and various other movements associated with the freedom struggle. In September 1943, the British government declared Singh as a proclaimed offender. He applied for the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension in March 1982, and his name was forwarded to the Centre by the Bihar government in February 1983. The recommendation was reiterated in September 2009, but Singh still did not receive his pension.
Despite repeated requests for verified copies of relevant documents, the records were deemed unavailable with the Ministry of Home Affairs in November 2017. The central government reached out to the Bihar government for assistance in this matter, leading to numerous communications among different authorities. However, Singh’s pension remained elusive.
This case sheds light on the delayed justice and negligence suffered by freedom fighters in India. The Delhi High Court’s decision to penalize the central government serves as a reminder of the need for accountability and prompt action in honoring those who dedicated their lives to the cause of independence. It is an unfortunate reflection of the challenges faced by many freedom fighters in receiving their rightful entitlements.
