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My
Hero, Your Hero - The War Goes On:
Come August and its raining functions
in the country on Freedom Struggle. And why not, the struggle had
embedded the Hindus & Muslims, Privileged & Poor.....
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Bangalore:
As teenagers, they were inspired by the call of Mahatma Gandhi and
took part in India's independence movement. Now, 62 years later,
Karnataka's freedom fighters continue their lonely battles against
poverty.
"I actively took part in the Quit India movement in 1942. I was a
student in Mysore's Maharaja College at that time. I was part of the
non-violent brigade and a part of various protest marches against
the British rule. I was also jailed for a few months," a visibly
proud 88-year-old freedom fighter, now settled in Bangalore told
IANS, on condition of anonymity.
"Today I sell newspapers and tea in a stall. I get only Rs.3,000 as
a freedom fighter's pension from the state government. It's
difficult for me and my wife to survive with a paltry sum of money.
It is a hard life for us," he lamented.
Echoing a similar concern, H.O. Sreenivasaiah, another freedom
fighter and president of the Karnataka Freedom Fighters' Action
Committee, told IANS that selling tea and newspapers on the roads
has become the livelihood for several freedom fighters in the state.
"We request better treatment for freedom fighters. Freedom fighters
have given their blood and soul to get India's independence. Now, in
their old age, freedom fighters deserve an increase in their pension
and medical benefits", said Sreenivasaiah, 85. After meeting Mahatma
Gandhi in 1934, as a nine-year-old in Malleswaram in north
Bangalore, he had decided to take part in the freedom movement.
"If state MLAs (members of the legislative assembly) can get a hike
in their monthly salary from Rs.22,000 to Rs.44,000, why have the
freedom fighters been ignored?" asked Sreenivasaiah, who is also
president of Gandhi Bhavan in Bangalore and worked as an underground
activist here, during the Quit India movement in 1942.
The assembly last month approved doubling of its members' salary and
a hike in some allowances.
Currently, the state government is giving a pension of Rs.3,000 per
month to Karnataka freedom fighters.
Freedom fighter and veteran journalist K.S.Subramanya, 87, who is
currently general secretary of the committee, said the state should
immediately increase the pension of the freedom fighters and take
care of their medical needs.
"All the freedom fighters are above eighty years old. It's the
responsibility of the government to take care of the financial needs
of the freedom fighters," said Subramanya, who was jailed for 12
months during the Quit India movement.
On Aug 9 state governor H.R. Bhardwaj hosted a reception for freedom
fighters at his official residence, Raj Bhavan, to mark Mahatma
Gandhi's Quit India call. It was there that the freedom fighters put
forward their demands.
Their demands included an increase in their pension amount from
Rs.3,000 per month to Rs.6,000, a hike in the amount they get for
funeral rites from Rs.1,000 to Rs.5,000, jobs and education for
their children and grandchildren and continuation of their pension
to family members in case of their death.
The governor assured them that he would extend support and invited
them to come and share their problems with him.
"If one of the compatriots has been forced to sell newspapers and
tea, then it is a shame for the entire community. The government
needs to address the issue," said a freedom fighter from Arsikere
town in Hassan district, about 180 km from Bangalore.
"Why do we have to beg for our rights? It's the duty of the state to
look after the needs of the freedom fighters," added the 89-year-old
freedom fighter, who did not wish to be named.
According to figures available from the Karnataka Freedom Fighters
Action Committee, there are around 5,000 surviving freedom fighters
in the state now. The primary function of the committee is to
address the problems of freedom fighters from across the state and
seek the state's intervention to solve the problems.
However, the committee members have also warned the government not
to entertain any fake cases. As of late there have been many fake
cases of people claiming to be freedom fighters to get government
benefits.
"The government should ask for a certificate and documents before
considering the claim of a person to be a freedom fighter. Many
dubious people in order to get government benefits are maligning the
entire freedom fighters community of the country," said
Sreenivasaiah.
Maitreyee Boruah can be contacted at m.boruah@ians.in
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