HC seeks reply from Centre, Guj on PIL over martyrs' families

, Aug 28: The

High Court today asked the Centre and the state government to file an affidavit in reply to a PIL, which sought land and other rewards like petrol pumps to families of soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country.

A division bench comprising justices Akil Kureshi and J B Pardiwala sought reply from the Centre and state within four weeks on whether families of martyrs have been given any financial aide by authorities or not and posted the next hearing on September 28.

The PIL filed by city-based advocate Kishor Paul claimed that the Centre and the Gujarat government have shown utter negligence towards families of martyrs. The petitioner, appearing as party-in-person, had also submitted the demand to provide resources in terms of land and petrol pumps to families of soldiers who have laid down their lives fighting for the country.

Paul put out a list of 69 soldiers from the state, who gave up their lives, before the high court division bench. He further said that there are 38 soldiers in the state who have been surviving with permanent disability and they should also be rewarded with sufficient financial aid. Paul has alleged that the government has not been providing sufficient compensations to martyrs' families. He also cited example of two families from Mehsana and Ahmedabad who were not compensated with a piece of land or with a petrol pump.

PTI