Latest news with #FreedomFighter'sPension
New Indian Express
01-08-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
After decades of wait, 101-year-old to receive Freedom Fighter's Pension
CUTTACK: In a significant judgement, the Orissa High Court's single judge bench of Justice Sashikanta Mishra, directed the state government to sanction and disburse Freedom Fighter's Pension to Brahmananda Jena, a 101-year-old man, who has claimed to have participated in the 1942 Quit India Movement. The court directed the authorities to sanction and disburse the pension to Jena within six weeks of submission of the certified order. Jena, who had applied for the pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme in 1981, approached the court after decades of inaction. He filed a petition seeking the high court's intervention in 2021 after the government rejected his claim citing lack of records and doubts over his age and eligibility. However, in the July 29 judgement, Justice Mishra noted that Jena had submitted ample documentary evidence, including a 1984 communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs forwarding his application to the state government and a 1989 Home department letter listing him among applicants. The court held that the claim that Jena did not apply before the 1990 deadline was baseless. On the question of age eligibility-applicants must have been born before 1924, Justice Mishra accepted Jena's 2002 voter list entry, which showed his age as 82. The authenticity of the list had been certified by the deputy collector, and no inquiry was shown to have been conducted on it. The state's allegation of age manipulation was dismissed as speculative and unsubstantiated. Further, Jena had submitted affidavits from two recognised freedom fighters Khali Pradhan and Manguli Parida, both of whom confirmed his role in the movement. Their credentials and signatures were verified by the district treasury officer, adding weight to Jena's claim. Justice Mishra emphasised the state's duty to honour freedom fighters and ensure genuine claims are not rejected on trivial grounds.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC directs govt to sanction 101-yr-old freedom fighter's pension
1 2 Cuttack: Orissa high court has directed the state govt to sanction and disburse the Freedom Fighter's Pension to 101-year-old Brahmananda Jena, ruling out the possibility of age manipulation that had prevented him from getting the pension for so long. The court also directed the govt to release the pension within six weeks from the date of submission of the judgment's certified copy. Jena, a resident of Cuttack district, had filed a petition in 2021 stating that he had taken part in the Quit India Movement and that he had applied for pension in 1981. The court observed that Jena's application had been duly forwarded by the ministry of home affairs to the Odisha govt in 1984. A 1989 communication from the state home department also listed Jena among seven applicants for the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980, debunking the govt's claim that he did not apply before the 1990 deadline. The govt had alleged that Jena manipulated his age in the voter list submitted by him. Refuting the claim, the court accepted the 2002 electoral roll that recorded his age as 82, which had been officially certified by the deputy collector. "There is not a shred of evidence to support the allegation of manipulation," Justice Mishra noted, adding that any inconsistency should be attributed to officials, not the petitioner. The court also found merit in two affidavits submitted by fellow freedom fighters — Khali Pradhan and Manguli Parida — both recognised pension holders, who certified Jena's role in the movement. Their signatures had been verified by the district treasury officer. "This court has on more than one occasion reiterated the view that it is the solemn duty of the state to honour the freedom fighters for the sacrifices made by them to attain freedom from colonial rule. Of course, this court hastens to act that it can never be the intention of the scheme to entertain false, frivolous or fake claims, but care must be taken to ensure that the genuine claims are not thrown out on trivial grounds," Justice Mishra said.
