83-year-old Bal Pulee was 16 when jailed for anti-British protest in '43; govt yet to respond to his appeal for freedom fighter's pension For Pune-based Manohar Dattatray alias Bal Pulee (83), it is in the autumn of his life that he has to fight for recognition as a freedom fighter from the state government. <table style="width: 139px; height: 42px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="139" align="right" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2011/feb/freedom.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td> In anticipation: Bal Pulee is happy that he has finally been recognised as a freedom fighter and is waiting for the pension. pic/jignesh mistry</td></tr></tbody></table>Despite recommendations from the office of the Pune collector and other bodies, the high-powered freedom fighter committee of the state government is yet to respond to his appeals in the last three months. But his struggle for acknowledgement goes as far back as year 2000. Bal Pulee was arrested and jailed for eight days, from August 8 to August 16, 1943, after he participated in an agitation against the British government. However, like many other minors, he was let off because he was around 16 years old at the time. Though Pulee, who was a photographer, fought against the British rule, he has never been a beneficiary of the freedom fighters' pension, as the government rule then stated that freedom fighters had to spend at least six months in jail to be eligible for the pension. However, a Bombay High Court ruling in 2000 stated that minors jailed during the freedom movement are also eligible. "Initially, the administration dismissed his claims. They said there were no records with them to prove his imprisonment," said Vihar Durve, an RTI activist, who has been fighting Pulee's case. "However, after freedom fighters Haribhau Limaye and Rambhau Telang submitted an affidavit certifying that Pulee was eligible for the freedom fighters' pension, the administration recognised his claim. The Deputy Resident Collector, Anil Pawar, wrote a letter to the state government on October 14, 2010, endorsing Pulee's claim. Even the Swatantra Sainik Gaurav Samiti said that he was eligible for the pension. But the state is yet to respond," Durve said. Pulee, meanwhile, is eagerly awaiting the pension. "I am happy that they have at least acknowledged my role in the freedom movement. Now I am expecting the freedom fighters' pension. I am just waiting for the government to respond," said Pulee, in financial straits after both his sons passed away.

83-year-old Bal Pulee was 16 when jailed for anti-British protest in '43; govt yet to respond to his appeal for freedom fighter's pension

Freedom fighter waits a decade for pension

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Freedom fighter waits a decade for pension

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