Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday, 26 June honoured democracy activists — known as Loktantra Senanis — who were imprisoned during the Emergency, and announced a comprehensive welfare package that includes a special pilgrimage train, free medical treatment, air ambulance services, and complimentary accommodation at government rest houses across the state.

Key Announcements at the Conference

Speaking at the state-level Loktantra Senani Conference held at Ravindra Bhavan in Bhopal, Chief Minister Yadav declared that Loktantra Senanis would be entitled to two days of free stay at government rest houses and circuit houses statewide. They will also receive free medical treatment and access to air ambulance facilities.

Memorial plaques will be installed in the names of deceased democracy activists, while parks, roads, and playgrounds across the state will be named in their honour. Commemorative certificates for those yet to receive them are also to be issued shortly.

CM Pays Tribute to Emergency-Era Resisters

Chief Minister Yadav inaugurated the conference by lighting the ceremonial lamp and showering flower petals on participants. He felicitated senior democracy activists, including 96-year-old Laxmi Narayan Patidar, 95-year-old Shantilal Sanghvi, and former Minister Umashankar Gupta. A short film on the Emergency was also screened during the event.

'The struggle of the Loktantra Senanis was no less than the country's freedom movement. Because of your sacrifices, democracy remains secure today, and India has emerged as the world's largest democratic nation,' Chief Minister Yadav said.

Political Salvo at Congress

Chief Minister Yadav used the occasion to launch a sharp political attack on the Indian National Congress, alleging that democratic institutions were systematically suppressed during the Emergency. He claimed that people were jailed without legal recourse, families were left without support after the arrest of their earning members, and that detainees were allegedly pressured to join the Congress in exchange for release.

'They speak about the Constitution while holding its copy in their hands, but no one has misused the Constitution more than the Congress,' Yadav said. This comes amid a broader Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) campaign ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, framing the period as a defining failure of Congress governance.

Demands from Senani Organisations

Earlier in the conference, Loktantra Senani Sangh State President Tapan Bhowmik and National President Kailash Soni recalled the sacrifices of those imprisoned during the Emergency and demanded that democracy activists be accorded the same national status as freedom fighters — a demand that has been pending at the central level for several years.

With the state government now formalising a welfare framework, the question of whether the Centre will extend similar recognition nationally is likely to gain fresh momentum.