People jailed during emergency seek freedom fighters' status

ALLAHABAD: Persons from different walks of life, who were jailed in Naini central Jail during the emergency under the provisions of Maintenance of Internal Security Act popularly known as MISA, on Thursday urged the Centre to grant them the status of freedom fighters.
There were around 200 people from Sangam city who spent 11 months to 19 months period at the Naini central jail during the emergency period.Majority of them were associated with different labour organizations who protested the imposition of emergency in the country.
They also burnt the effigy of emergency and called it “Kala Kanoon” (black draconian law) and appealed to the masses of country to be cautious and fighting for their rights.
63-year-old Ram Milan Yadav, said, “There were several people including Mohd Sarwar, Lal Sahab, Vidhya Dhar, Vijay Kumar, Satya Narayan, Lal Chandra, Om Prakash, Suresh Rawat, Mohd Shamim , Ram Khilawan and others, who spent 11 months to 19 months at Naini central jail during the emergency.”
He further stated that 46 persons who were associated with different labour organisations were jailed and spent three to five months period inside the bars.
Recalling the high-handedness, Yadav said, “Naini central jail was flooded with activists including leaders from Lohia Vihar Manch. All were arrested and booked under MISA.”
He claimed that Rajnath Singh (now union minister) and Ram Naresh yadav (former UP chief minister) were also kept in Naini central jail during emergency.
Ramesh Chandra Kushwah, who spent four months at Naini central jail, said that it is the responsibility of people of the country who should be more alert and cautious so that emergency like situation could never arise. He further added that masses should come forward for betterment and their rights.
Recalling the days of emergency, he said, “We were not allowed to talk more and majority of people who were associated with labour organisations and others were brought to jail.”
Others like Vijay Kumar, Suresh Rawat, Lal Sahab and Vidhya Dhar too recalled the administration’s high-handedness, when the country entered the 40 years of the emergency.