Jammu, March 22
Ali Mohammad Zargar is 28-years-old and has been drawing a freedom fighter pension of Rs 16,775 every month for nearly 38 years! Similarly, sisters Shazia and Nazia, both aged 27, have been getting freedom fighter pension of Rs 3,975 every month for over 40 years! Incredible?

Well, ‘freedom fighters’ — some even in their teens — have been drawing a pension every month even before they were born in Jammu and Kashmir, as per official statistics provided by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Legislative Council here.

There are 700-odd freedom fighters drawing pension in the Kashmir Valley alone, of which some are in the 28 to 32 years age group. In 68 cases, the government does not know the age of the pensioner and the date from which he or she has been drawing pension.

The Chief Minister, however, said no fake case of freedom fighters’ pension had been reported. “Freedom fighters’ pensions are transferred to dependants after their death. When there is no eligible dependant, the pension is surrendered,” Omar said in a written reply to a question by Legislative Council member Ravinder Kumar Sharma (Congress).

Sharma had sought the details about freedom fighters drawing pensions, such as the total number of pensioners after the verification process and names of pensioners found dead or fake.

If one goes through the 25-page document prepared by the Director- General Accounts and Treasuries, Finance Department, two teenagers (aged 14 and 16) at serial number 143 have been drawing pension from the Anantnag Treasury since August 1, 1980.

Similarly, Ali Mohammad Zargar (28), whose name figures at serial number 432, has been drawing a monthly pension of Rs 16,775 since March 24, 1975. Twentyseven-year-old sisters Shazia and Nazia have been drawing monthly pension of Rs 3,975 from the Tankipora Treasury since August 15, 1972. There are 68 pensioners whose age is not available with the state government.

“In the Jammu region, there are only 155 freedom fighters or their dependants getting pensions,” the document said.

Director General Accounts and Treasuries, Finance Department, Ravi Magotra evaded direct queries on the issue, saying the department would provide more details to the Legislative Council, if asked to. As to why the department had not mentioned the age of 68 pensioners, he said the record was mutilated and it would take time to furnish full details.

On the issue of teenagers in the pensioners’ list, Magotra said they could be children of freedom fighters and would thereby be entitled to pension.

He, however, didn’t answer how the children of a freedom fighter could be in the age group of 14 to 16 years.

Talking to The Tribune, Congress MLC Ravinder Kumar Sharma said he had not read the document, but contested government claims of 700 freedom fighters in the Kashmir Valley alone. “To my knowledge, a freedom fighter is a person who fought for the country’s Independence. I am yet to go through the document and will let you know after studying it,” Sharma said.

J&K Freedom Fighters Association chairman Bhushan Gupta demanded a high-level inquiry to expose “fake” pensioners. “We had sought information on the particulars of those drawing freedom fighter pension under the RTI Act, but authorities did not give us residential addresses of freedom fighters in the state. A majority of freedom fighters have already died and there is a need to probe the cases,” Gupta said.