Congress has plans to corner the Yogi government over slash in pension of Yash Bharti Awardees and hiking pension of loktantra Senani in the coming Monsoon Session of the Assembly. The second category encompasses people who were jailed during Emergency under MISA and DIR as political prisoners.
“In the coming Monsoon session, we will raise the issue of adopting different yardsticks in issuing pension. One for those who brought laurels to the state and others who went to jail for political reasons,” asserted leader of the Congress in legislative Council, Deepak Singh on Friday.
“Why did the state government withdraw the pension of Yash Bharati winners and after much hue and cry, slash the amount from Rs 50,000 per month to Rs 25,000 per month. What is also beyond comprehnsion is that why did the government hike the pension of loktantra Senanis from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per monthi,” he questioned.
“It shows how Yogi is only working for the welfare of Saffron leaders. Yash Bharati winners were given pension for bringing laurels to the state in art, sports, literarature, film etc. Butthese eminent personalities perhaps do not matter to the CM. Yogi is only interested in facilitating party leaders at the cost of outstanding achievers from UP,” Singh said.
The Congress leader furtehr attacked Yogi for imposing riders for pension to Yash Bharti awardees. “Yogi several conditions, like those paying Income Tax or getting any salary or pension would be not entitled for pension,” cited Singh asking similar conditions were not laid out for loktantra Senani pension.
“Majority of loktantra Senanis getting pension are already getting other pensions or even salary from two or more places as they were mostly former MlAs, MPs. Some of them are even members of some House or the other and majority of them are Income Tax payers. I fail to understand why the double standards,” Singh said.
At a recent cabinet decision, pension for 5700 loktantra Senanis was raised from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month. Yogi had said that his government was committed to guarding the democratic values. The hike was likely to inflict an additional annual burden of Rs 35.35 crore on state exchequer.
Interestingly, Yogi withdrew pension for Yash Bharti awardees earlier. Justbefore his death, noted poet Gopal Das Neeraj requested Yogi to restart it after which the CM re-introduced it but with 50 per cent cut and several riders.