Action sought as 90-year-old freedom fighter was allegedly denied audience with the district head
A 90-year-old freedom fighter was allegedly made to wait for three hours outside the Chennai collector’s chamber a week ago.
Later, he was denied an audience by the collector. A writ petition has now been filed before the Madras High Court to conduct an enquiry on a representation and initiate departmental action against the district head.
Justice K. Venkataraman, before whom the matter came up on Wednesday, ordered notice to the authorities, returnable by October 31.
In the petition, A.P. Suryaprakasam, an advocate of Royapettah here, said the freedom fighter, A. Palaniyappan, alias R.M.Y. Ramanathan, who had been imprisoned during the British rule, was already receiving the State government’s freedom fighters’ pension. Recently, the Centre had sanctioned pension for him.
He had gone to the Chennai collectorate on October 10 to get all the supporting documents attested by the collector’s subordinate. He was made to wait for more than three hours outside the collector’s chamber and was then denied an audience.
Mr. Suryaprakasam said that at least considering the age of the freedom fighter, the collector ought to have met him. The petitioner sent a representation to the collector to grant an audience to the freedom fighter.
But he had failed to act. The petitioner then sent a representation dated October 13 to the chief secretary to conduct an enquiry and initiate appropriate departmental action against the collector for ‘dereliction of duty.’
He prayed the court to issue a direction to the chief secretary to take action.
Keywords: freedom fighter, pension, Chennai collectorate
The matter need not have gone to the level of the Collector at all. The personal secretary to the Collector could have met the freedom fighter and helped him move his papers without any problems. In case the collector is very busy, the PS could have easily told the freedom fighter about it and see that the papers are sent to the residence of the petitioner within the next few hours. In most cases, the elderly are not given support/respect which they truly deserve.
It is common for senior police and IAS officers to make petitioners wait for hours before even meeting them. It is hard to understand why these officers cannot spare a few moments to listen to the grievance. It is a well known fact that these petitions are just marked to subordinate officers.
India will never change unless our attitude changes.
Excellent move, although not sure how the case would take a turn (for the good or the bad). The so called "government servants" are seated on citadels of power forget that it is the tax payers' money which is sustaining them. One has to visit these offices to personally go through humiliation & trauma. These corridors of power showers humiliation & insults even by Class-IV staff, let alone officers. It would also make us wonder, may be in indignation, "would it have been better had we not got the freedom from British rule..??". Looking forward to a change of heart among these heartless - well, it may not happen in one's life-time..!!
Good one. This act should have shown him that why he had fought for the freedom. For the freedom fighter itself this is the issue, think about the other people. India is now no more for the people , by the people ...
This shows the audacity of the babus.They forget that they will also retire,become old and face the real life one day.I earnestly hope that this officer will meet the old man in person and apologize.But will his ego permit?
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