Sangh Parivar

JAIPUR: Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh (RSS) has asked those of its workers who were arrested under Maintenance of Security Act (MISA) during the emergency from 1975 to 1977, not to accept the pension being offered by the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in the state. The scheme offering pension and medical assistance to MISA detainees was announced by the state government on Friday. "Erstwhile Jan Sangh and RSS workers, who were jailed for their opposition to the emergency, are disciplined workers, and accepting the pension would be like asking for money in lieu of what you did for your motherland," RSS chief Suresh Kumar said. His organisation would issue a formal directive to its members for not accepting the pension. Former BJP MLA Nawalrai Vachchhani, who was also jailed under MISA, is too against the RSS workers opting for the pension. However, Thanwardas, an RSS worker from Ajmer, said though the pension should not be taken, but medical assistance should be accepted. Jaipur RSS chief Gopal Arya suggested the RSS should better leave it to individual members to take a call on whether or not to accept the pension. "After all, we suffered a lot while we were in prison," he said. According to RSS spokesman KL Chaturvedi, 89 RSS workers were arrested in the state under MISA while another 596 workers were arrested under the Defence of India rule. Besides, 1,682 persons were arrested for staging satyagraha . "The pension is meant only for MISA detainees, and many of the 89 targeted beneficiaries are no more," Chaturvedi asked if they could make do without any government aid during the last three decades, what's the need of such offer now. Non-RSS MISA victims who have passed away include CPM leaders Mohan Poonamia, Sheopat Singh and socialists Prof Kedar, Master Antyanuprashi, Mahadev Bhai, Mohan Kagdi, Purushottam Mantri, Suraj Narayan Choudhary, Umrao Singh Dhabharia and Kumbha Ram Arya. Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Jaipur/RSS_chief_against_activists_op...