Punjab-Haryana High Court's comment: Do not force freedom fighters to come to court with begging bowls for pension

The Punjab-Haryana High Court has reprimanded the Central Government for making the freedom fighter's wife wait for three years for pension. Referring to the Madras High Court, Justice Raj Mohan Singh said that freedom fighters should not be forced to come to court with begging bowls for pension.

Vidya Devi, a resident of Hoshiarpur, filed a petition in the High Court through Advocate Jyoti Sareen, pleading for justice. The petition stated that her husband Ram Swaroop had died on November 3, 2017. He was a freedom fighter, due to which he used to get a pension under the Freedom Fighter Award Scheme of the Central Government. Along with this, he also got a pension from the state government. After the death of the husband, when the family pension was applied for, the state government started the pension, but the central government's pension scheme was blocked.

The petitioner was kept deprived of family pension on the ground of technical reasons. After hearing all the parties, the High Court said that there should be no stereotype in such cases. When the technical reason is known, then move on to the solution.

Quoting the Madras High Court, said that freedom fighters should not be forced to come to court with a begging bowl for pension. The government should go to his doorstep and he should be honored for his contribution to freedom. The High Court has now ordered the Central Government to release the pension amount within two months. Along with this, the amount of pension from November 2017 till now has been ordered to be paid with 9 percent interest.