After Mulayam, Cong felicitates poitical prisoners

Lucknow, Mar 7 (UNI) Close on the heels of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav felicitating people jailed during emergency, Congress today recognised the role of its workers, who were sent behind bars during the Janata Party regime after the emergency.

A felicitation programme was organised at the headquarters of the UP Congress here, where party veteran Mohsina Kidwai felicitated party workers jailed for protesting the detention of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi soon after the Janata Party came to power.

Recently, Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Yadav had felicitated people jailed during emergency. He had described them as Loktantra Senani (democracy fighters).

Several politicians, who have since joined Congress, were also invited for the felictation.

In today's programme, Ms Kidwai, along with former UP Congress president Arun Kumar Singh 'Munna', distributed letters of appreciation to party workers jailed between 1977 and 1980.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Kidwai said the felictation was an apolitical programme. ''The idea to felicitate people is good, but it should have been done long ago.'' The party also felictated freedom fighters and their representatives to mark 150 years of 'Satyagraha'.

UNI