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West Bengal CM announces Rs 10,000 monthly pension for Emergency detainees
West Bengal CM announces Rs 10,000 monthly pension for Emergency detainees
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday announced a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for 325 people jailed during the 1975-77 Emergency. The beneficiaries, identified by the state government, will receive…
The Story in Brief
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday announced a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for 325 people jailed during the 1975-77 Emergency. The beneficiaries, identified by the state government, will receive the 'Paschimbanga Loktantra Senani Samman' along with free bus travel and Rs 1,000 medical assistance. If a beneficiary has died, the spouse will get the benefits. Adhikari said the government fulfilled its commitment within 90 days of taking office. He recalled that nearly 1 lakh people were jailed nationwide during the Emergency, including about 5,000 from West Bengal.
The Indian Opinion
Honouring Emergency prisoners is a legitimate gesture, but the politics around it is hard to miss. The BJP frames the Emergency as a dark chapter; its state governments now compete to offer pensions and awards. That risks turning a solemn acknowledgment into a partisan badge. The real test is whether similar respect is shown to those jailed under controversial laws in other periods. Will a future government extend the same logic to all political prisoners, regardless of the ruling party at the time?
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
