Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 6: High Court ruled that a person who has fought against the militancy is not eligible for Freedom Fighters Pension (FFP) under the Swantantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme (SSSPS).
Justice Sanjay Dhar dismissed the plea of one-Noor Ahmad Shah seeking benefits of the SSSPS on the ground that he has rendered exemplary services for the erstwhile State while fighting against the various militants in individual capacity and was conferred with appreciation certificate by the Indian Army as such is eligible for SSSP Yojna.
The Union of India while opposing such relief as sought by the petitioner submitted that only those persons who have participated in the freedom movement and fulfilled eligibility criteria/condition laid down in Scheme are eligible for grant of benefit under the said Yojana.
Union Counsel further added that the petitioner does not qualify to be freedom fighter within the meaning of Yojana as such he is not entitled to the relief which he has prayed in his plea.
Justice Dhar while underscoring the purport and spirit of the Scheme as referred by the petitioner-Shah concluded that a person who has fought against the militancy is not eligible under the said Scheme. “It is only those persons who have participated in the National Freedom Struggle, who are eligible for benefits under the Scheme. In view of the above, the claim of the petitioner lacks merit and as such the writ petition is dismissed”, he clarified.
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