PIL in HC against AAP govt proposal to give Rs 1 cr to Grewal's family

NEW DELHI: A PIL was today moved in Delhi High Court challenging Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's decision to award Rs one crore compensation and a job to the family of ex-army man Ram Kishan Grewal who committed suicide three days ago in the national capital.

The public interest litigation (PIL) has also opposed Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's decision to declare Grewal as a martyr.

Retired Army Subedar Grewal had allegedly committed suicide over the 'One Rank, One Pension' (OROP) issue.


The plea, which is likely to come up for hearing on November 7, has been filed by advocate Avadh Kaushik who has on two earlier occasions challenged Delhi government's similar decisions granting compensation and government job to kin of individuals who had committed suicide.

One matter related to Delhi government's April 28, 2015 decision to accord "martyr" status to Rajasthan farmer Gajendra Singh Kalyanwat who had allegedly hung himself at an AAP rally at Jantar Mantar here on April 22, 2015.

The second was regarding AAP government's February 24 decision to award a job on compassionate grounds to the brother of Rohith Vemula, a Hyderabad University Dalit scholar who had committed suicide in January.

In all these matters, Kaushik has taken the ground that these individuals have committed suicide attempting which is a crime under the Indian Penal Code.

In the instant petition related to Grewal's suicide, the petitioner-lawyer has contended that by granting compensation and a job to kin of the ex-serviceman, Kejriwal and his government were "glorifying, justifying, supporting, propagating and consecrating the act of suicide".

He has sought directions from the court to quash or set aside the Delhi government's decision saying it amounts to "misappropriation of public funds".

The PIL also seeks a direction to the Centre, Lieutenant Governor and Delhi government to "frame a proper and valid scheme or policy for declaring a deceased person as a 'martyr' and to award the compensatory benefits and perquisite to his family".