Loktantra Senani Sangh demands to declare Punjab Emergency Warriors as Democracy Fighters
HARISH MONGA
Ferozepur, August 27, 2024: Loktantra Senani Sangh Punjab President Rajesh Gupta, in a letter to the Prime Minister of India, ), has called on the central government to officially recognize the democracy fighters who were imprisoned during the Emergency (1975-1977) and to extend them the same benefits as freedom fighters.
Gupta, whose family was directly involved in the resistance during the Emergency, is also a member of the Loktantra Senani Sangh Punjab.
In a strongly worded appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Gupta demanded that democracy fighters be honoured with the same respect as freedom fighters under the Freedom Fighter Act besides providing them with Golden Ayushman Cards, free railway travel, and other benefits.
Additionally, highlighting the sacrifices made by young individuals during the emergency, who risked their lives and endured harsh imprisonment to protect democracy, Gupta urged the government to establish a memorial for democracy fighters and include their struggle against the Emergency in educational curricula to inspire future generations. He also criticized the central government for discriminating against Punjab's democracy fighters, noting that while similar benefits have been extended to fighters in other states, those in Punjab have been neglected.
He also took a jab at the Congress party, which imposed the Emergency, accusing them of hypocritically citing the Constitution today, despite having suspended citizens' rights and imposed censorship during that period. Gupta further questioned the current BJP government's treatment of democracy fighters, urging them to look within before criticizing the Congress and called on the central government to take swift action on this issue, ensuring that all Emergency warriors receive the recognition and benefits they deserve.