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Himachal Pradesh governor questions Bill to repeal Loktantra Prahari Samman Act
The Act provides for a monthly pension for those jailed during the Emergency; Raj Bhawan has sought a reply from the Sukhu-led Congress government
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has raised questions on the Bill to repeal Loktantra Prahari Samman Act-2021, which provided for a monthly pension for those jailed during the emergency, and sought government’s comments on these questions.
The Act was enacted by the previous BJP government led by Jai Ram Thakur.
The Raj Bhawan will take further decisions after the government gives its clarification.
The Raj Bhawan has asked that it is written in the Bill that it came into force from April 1 this year, while it was passed on a later date. The governor sought information on the current status of the Bill.
The second question raised by Raj Bhawan is whether the objective for which the Act was enacted has been achieved or not.
The Loktantra Prahari Scheme provided for ₹12,000 to ₹20,000 pension to political leaders and people who were jailed during the emergency from 1975 to 1977.
The previous government also spent ₹3.43 crore budget on the scheme. However, after the change of power, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government repealed the Act during the budget session on April 3, amid a ruckus by BJP members. While bringing a Bill to repeal the Act, the government argued that the previous BJP government had misused the funds under the scheme and benefited its aides.
The BJP termed it an insult to those who fought to save democracy.
Sukhashraya Bill sent for President’s assent
Meanwhile, the governor has sent the Sukhashraya Bill for the President’s assent. The Bill was passed by the HP assembly on April 6. The Bill is aimed at the welfare of orphaned children and provides to declare them as children of the state. Raj Bhavan has sent it to Delhi for President’s assent after consulting the secretary (Law).
During the discussions in the Vidhan Sabha, the chief minister had said the government intends not only to take care of more than 6,000 orphan children of the state for 27 years, but also give them monthly pocket money of ₹4,000. He said the government would also bear all expenses for higher education of such children and on completing 27 years of age, such children would be given three biswas of land as well as money to build a house.
He said Sukhashraya is the first such scheme in the country in which children of the state have been defined.
Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur had termed it a copy of the Juvenile Justice Act. However, the government had refuted his claims.
It is learnt that Raj Bhawan sent the Bill to the Union home ministry only last week and law department and the social justice and empowerment department have been informed about it.
