Freedom fighters make 11 demands to govt

Mysore City and District Freedom Fighters Association on Tuesday submitted a list of 11 demands in their memorandum to the district administration, during the celebration of Mysore Chalo movement.

President of the Association D S Jagadish who read out the demands said, a total of 37 freedom fighters laid down their lives during Mysore Chalo.

The State government should install plaques in their memory at the places where they sacrificed their lives, according to an order issued to this effect by the then General and Revenue department on May 19, 1948. 

Secondly, as decided by the then principal secretary of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), on September 11, 2013, a book compiling the detailed history of the movement should be brought out. 

The Central government has to recognise ‘Mysore Chalo’ on the lines of Razakar Movement of then Hyderabad province. Though both the movements occurred at the same time, the Centre had recognised Razakar Movement. 

It was also unfair on the part of the government to drop ‘Mysore Chalo’ and consider the language movement of Tamil Nadu.

Free treatment

The other demands include, free treatment for freedom fighters at the private hospitals too; free journey in KSRTC volvo buses (though the service is offered in other buses); sponsoring the air tickets of freedom fighters participating in the celebration of ‘Quit India Movement’ on the invitation of President of India in New Delhi; giving due preference to freedom fighters from the State to the Central sponsored celebration of ‘Quit India Movement’; revising the list of freedom fighters who are alive; providing guest rooms under the ambit of State DPAR outside the State like Delhi and other places at discount rate throughout the year; matching the honorarium of freedom fighters in the State with that of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Maharashtra, Kerala and Haryana; and the handing over of existing library of the Freedom Fighters Association to Library department, Mysore City Corporation, legislators or MP for further maintenance.