Nonagenarian seeks compensation for being harassed during 1975 emergency

Veera Sarin has approached the court saying that her husband, kids and she had to leave the country due to the threat by the authorities who harassed them during the emergency. She contends that three generations of her family suffered due to the emergency imposed by the then Congress government.

New Delhi:A nonagenarian lady from New Delhi has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking the declaration of emergency in 1975 as unconstitutional and a compensation of Rs 25 crores from the concerned authorities for participating in the illegal act.

Veera Sarin has approached the court saying that her husband, kids and she had to leave the country due to the threat by the authorities who harassed them during the emergency.

The 94-year-old says that her late husband had business in Karol Bagh and was booked under the provisions of COFEPOSA and SAFEMA, the consequences of which the family had to bear.

The petitioner has been struggling for the past 35 years to restore rights to their properties.

"The Petitioner and her husband, like many other citizens in the country during the relevant grave and dark period of our nation's history, were victims of the atrocities inflicted by the then government authorities and others under the colour of it, who plundered their business places and their homes. The petitioner and her husband were compelled to leave the country for fear of being thrown into jail, for no justifiable reason, on the whims and wishes of government authority in a state where civil rights and liberties stood curbed," the plea read.

In 2014 the Delhi HC had in its order nullified the proceedings against her husband under SAFEMA but even after that, she had to make various representations to release the immovable properties for which she had to file a plea in the HC.

Following that, the HC had ordered authorities to pay her compensation which has been partially paid.

Veera contends that three generations of her family suffered due to the emergency imposed by the then Congress government and she was shunned by her relatives and friends because of the illegal proceedings.

"Because the demolitions and raids in Karol bagh were done at the instance of Late Shri Sanjay Gandhi. It has appeared on record that among other considerations, the political affiliations of the shopkeepers to a party opposed to the congress was one of the deciding factors which impelled Late Shri Sanjay Gandhi to order the demolition of the structures in Karol Bagh. The said demolitions, raids and plundering was illegal, the responsibility for which must entirely with Late Shri Sanjay Gandhi and Shri B.R. Tamta (Former Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi)," the plea stated.

The petitioner has not made any representations to the government and has approached the top court for relief.

She currently resides in Dehradun with her daughter.