SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 29: Five tribal leaders of the Jharkhand movement from Dhanbad were allegedly humiliated by the security guards of Chas (Bokaro) divisional jail when they had gone to meet the jail superintendent for getting the certificate of imprisonment.
The state government has fixed a pension for participants of the separate statehood movement of Jharkhand. Those who faced a jail term of more than six months are given Rs 7,000 per month. Those who served three to six months term are paid Rs 5,000 while those who were in jail less than three months are being paid Rs 3500.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supporters and several tribal people from remote areas of Dhanbad had been in jail during protest but in lack of certificate, they are deprived of this pension scheme.
For getting the benefit of the scheme, five leaders; Jagat Mahto, Jagran Marandi, Hakim Tudu, Mohan Tudu and Rengu Sab, had gone to Chas jail on Thursday afternoon to hand over the application to the jail superintendent for issuance of a certificate of imprisonment.
They charged that at the jail gate, the security guards humiliated them badly despite presenting them with identity proof and the purpose of visiting the jail superintendent.
“Even Bihar police had not misbehaved and humiliated us in such a way during the Jharkhand movement like these security guards of Chas divisional jail did with us after the creation of the separate state,” alleged Jagat Mahto, a senior movement leader.
The leaders charged that not only the security guards but the jail superintendent also made them wait for more than two hours ( 12 noon to 2.15 pm) and did not arrive to meet them.
“We duly informed the Bokaro MLA, Biranchi Narayan, to line up our meeting with the jail superintendent as we had gone there from Dhanbad. He (MLA) tried his best but the jail superintendent did not receive his call too,” the leaders added.
Since several leaders were in Chas jail during the separate statehood Jharkhand movement, they need a certificate of jail period to get the government pension. Only on the recommendation Jail superintendent, the Bokaro Deputy Commissioner (DC) would issue the certificate of imprisonment for their pension.
