Chandigarh, August 14 – Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal has given a befitting reply to the opposition leaders, saying that they should desist from petty politics in the name of freedom fighters. In a statement issued here today, Mr. Manohar Lal said that allegations made by Congress Rajya Sabha member, Mr. Deepender Singh Hooda and INLD MLA, Mr. Abhay Singh Chautala on August 13 regarding scrapping of pension of freedom fighters and benefits to their dependents are completely baseless. The Haryana Government has neither discontinued the honourarium of the freedom fighters nor the benefits for their dependents.

The Chief Minister released the figures saying that the pension of January, 2020 was released to the freedom fighters on February 5, February pension on March 4, March pension on April 15, April pension on May 14, May pension on June 19 and the pension for June and July was released on August 11. Thus, despite the financial crisis arising due to COVID-19 pandemic, freedom fighters were given pension regularly by the government.

The Chief Minister said that similarly, an amount of Rs 23.97 lakh had been released for the marriage of 47 granddaughters from the families of freedom fighters from January 2020 to August 2020. He said that every granddaughter has been given an amount of Rs 51,000 as Kanyadaan. The Chief Minister advised the leaders of the opposition parties to get their facts right before making accusations and confusing the people, because the shameful politics of issuing false statements on the auspicious occasion of Independence Day is shameful.

Mr. Manohar Lal said that during the tenure of the Congress from March 2005 to October 2009, only Rs 35 crore was given as Samman Pension while during the second term from November 2009 to October 2014 the amount was Rs 102 crores. The State Government has disbursed Rs 111 crore as Samman Pension since November 2014.

Mr. Manohar Lal said that the opposition leaders have also given false statements about not giving reservation to the dependents of freedom fighters. He said that if the eligible candidates of ex-servicemen or their dependents are not found then there is two percent reservation for dependents of freedom fighter families in government jobs.

He said that we hold freedom fighters in high regard. The Haryana Government is taking full care of them, their families, and dependents, but the opposition leaders are playing petty politics in the name of these respectable freedom fighters and those who laid down their lives for the country. He advised that opposition leaders should desist from this type of politics.