FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa Daman and Diu Freedom Fighters Association (GDDFFA) held a protest against the Freedom Fighters Division (FFD) of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for alleged injustice towards the widows of freedom fighters.
In a letter written to Under Secretary (Policy) MHA (FFD, the Association questioned as to why pension to the family of the pensioners was stopped as per the guidelines notified by the Central government. They have also written to the general secretary of the committee of eminent freedom fighters appointed by MHA, which has the Minister of State (Home) as its chairman, to follow up on this matter.
GDDFFA Treasurer, Rohidas Desai, said that FFD, MHA was targeting only the widows of freedom fighters. In that regard, in their letter to the Under Secretary, they listed out their grievances to clause 5, 6.1, 6.12 and 6.21 of the guidelines. They lamented however, that attempts in the recent past to seek clarity have got no response.
Desai pointed out that earlier on, that is before the recent changes, the Central government had decided that in the event of the death of a freedom fighter, equal pension will be transferred to his wife and that the 'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension' scheme was running smoothly for years.
They also questioned if these amendments had been published in government gazettes, which is the requirement for it to become a law.
