MAHANTI DEVI Vs. UNION OF INDIA & ANR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present writ petition is maintained by the petitioner against the respondents praying therein for the following reliefs :-

(2.) The petitioner has submitted that her husband was an active worker of the Praja Mandal Movement, and he earned the displeasure of the Ruler of Bilaspur State and he was externed under the verbal orders of the Ruler in May, 1946, and was threatened that he would be arrested and jailed, if he entered Bilaspur State. The Praja Mandal Movement was also banned by the Ruler of Bilaspur State and the husband of the petitioner could only return to his home in October, 1948 after the merger of Bilaspur State in the Union of India. During this period of externment the petitioner's husband and his family suffered both physically and financially.

(3.) It has also been alleged that in the year 1972, the Government of India promulgated a Scheme known as "Freedom Fighters Pension Scheme 1972" with the intention of recognizing the sacrifices made by those, who had struggled for the freedom of the Country.