Congress leaders lap up for MISA benefits

Bhopal, Feb 28: Non-BJP leaders lap up to avail facilities under the Loknayak Jai Prakash Samman Nidhi being provided to Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) detenues. On the night of 25-26 June 1975, the then prime minister Indira Gandhi had imposed country-wide emergency. The state government in the 2008-09 budget, made a provision to provide facilities to those who were arrested during emergency.

All those who had spent over six months in jail will get Rs 6000 a month, others who were detained for three to six months will get Rs 3000 a month. Besides, senior BJP leaders there are leaders from opposition Congress, Communist Party and Jamiat-e-Islami who were detained during emergency. Prominent among them are- Madhya Pradesh Congress former General Secretary KK Mishra, Congress whip in state assembly Sajjan Singh Verma, Congress MLA Tulsiram Silawat and several other leaders.

KK Mishra said that he would certainly accept the monthly honourarium and other facilities. “When government wants to honour political criminals, why should I not get benefited,” he added. Mishra informed that he was in youth Congress and had some dispute with then Chief Minister PC Sethi and thus he along with other local leader was detained for over five months. Sajjan Singh Verma expressing annoyance over the decision of state government to provide MISA detenues at par with the freedom fighters, agreed to get the benefits. However, he alleged that along with political leaders, several criminals including pickpockets, robbers and others were also detained in that duration and they would also avail the facilities.

“This is sheer wastage of government fund,” he added. He also suggested that there should have been some strategy to find out genuine MISA detenues and should be given a separate status. Verma was also a student leader associated with Youth Congress during the period. Meanwhile, state president of Jamiat-e-Islami AH Khan was no available for comment as he was on way to Jabalpur from Seoni.