Bureaucrats Not Recognizing Selfless Service Rendered By Freedom Fighters; Bureaucratic Bungle In Such Matters Can't Be Accepted: Madras High Court

"But for them (freedom fighters), neither the Collector nor the Tahsildar and any one of us can enjoy the freedom and valuable life as we enjoy today."

The Bench of Justice Suresh Kumar also observed,

"They (the District Collector and the Tahsildar, Krishnagiri District) didn't have the mind of considering the plea of a 97-year-old freedom fighter, which shows the mind-set of the bureaucrats that they do not want to recognize the yeoman selfless service rendered by the freedom fighters for the Nation's freedom."

The Background

The report of the respondent District Collector, Krishnagiri District dated 08.09.2020 filed by the Government Advocate was perused by the Court. The case was related to a freedom fighter, aged 97 years, who was denied the pension.

After the perusal of the report, the Court noted that, "neither the District Collector nor the Tahsildar concerned have understood the Freedom Fighters Pension Scheme of both the State Government and the Central Government and as a routine file, they have dealt with this case also by raising unnecessary questions without any logic."

Court's observations

The Court, in its order, remarked,

"It is an agonising fact that this Court has been repeatedly seeing pathetic cases of freedom fighters. Time and again, Courts have taken a very tough stand and has given directions after directions sensitizing the issue to the Government authorities / Officials / Bureaucrats; however, the attitude of the Government authorities / Officials / Bureaucrats has not changed. No prudent man with his consciousness would accept this kind of bureaucratic bungle, that too in the matter of freedom fighter cases."

Further, in order to ascertain the real fact pertaining to the instant case where the petitioner, a 97 year old freedom fighters is seeking pension, and to do complete justice, the Court called for the entire original file pertaining to the case.

Hence, the Government Advocate appearing for the respondent District Collector and Tahsildar was directed to produce the original files with all relevant records to before the Court in a sealed cover.

The Matter has been posted for further hearing on Thursday (03.12.2020).