Writer refuses pension for incarceration during Emergency

Marathi writer and activist Vinay Hardikar has decided not to accept the pension offered by the BJP-led Maharashtra government to those who were imprisoned during Emergency.

Hardikar, whose 1978 book 'Janancha Pravaho Chalila' is considered an authoritative commentary on Emergency, said the government's decision was "unethical" for various reasons.

Saying that the BJP could have political motives for announcing the scheme, Hardikar also pointed out that Shiv Sena, a partner in the government, had supported Emergency.

Hardikar was lodged in Yerwada jail near Pune after offering 'Satyagraha' and courting arrest in January 1976.

"I have decided not to accept the pension," he told PTI.

 

"There is a political side, I believe, to this announcement, which seems to be a part of the BJP president's Sampark For Samarthan drive. I do not want to fall for that," he said, referring to the party's recent outreach campaign.

The Shiv Sena, which had supported Indira Gandhi's decision to impose Emergency, is now a partner in the state government, so this offer of pension is "unethical", he said.

"The government should also clarify certain issues. One, why discriminate between the jailed persons according to the time spent in jail?

"There were two types among those jailed. Those who offered Satyagraha (and courted arrest), and those who were held otherwise (even before they staged any protest). There were also workers of communal organisations like Muslim League and Anand Marg. Some Naxalites were also detained. Are they also entitled to this generous pension?" he asked.

"RSS workers outnumbered others who were jailed during Emergency. May be the government wants to 'reward' them in cash. Is this ethical, since the RSS claims to be a non-political organisation?" he asked.

"I wanted Emergency to be quashed and democracy restored. I wanted the late Indira Gandhi to be politically punished for the excesses she committed on the Indian Democracy," he said.

"Both my aims were achieved in the Lok Sabha election of March 1977 (when the Indira Gandhi government was ousted).

"For me, this shameful chapter was over then. There is no need for any compensation after 40 years," he said.

"Also, I am still very much active and need no 'pension'," said Hardikar, a former journalist who has long been associated with Sharad Joshi's Shetkari Sanghatana.

Hardikar's book, which records his experiences and observations during Emergency and its aftermath, was well received and selected for a state award. However, the decision to give award was later reversed by the government, creating a controversy.

Earlier this week, the government announced that those who were incarcerated for more than a month during Emergency (for political reasons) would receive a monthly pension of Rs 10,000. Those who were behind bars for less than a month would receive Rs 5,000.

Detailed criteria for eligibility are yet to be announced.