The Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh is considering a unique legislation to give a legal backing to the state’s efforts to take care of and honour the families of all martyrs — civilians, security personnel and others killed in Naxalite violence since formation of the state in November 2000.

This proposed state law, likely to be named after Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh, a 19th century Adivasi hero who the British hanged in 1857 for feeding his people from the granaries of the rich, would be the first of its kind to bestow a legal binding for providing honour, relief and rehabilitation to families of victims of any form of insurgency in the country. The bill is expected to come up during the winter session of the Assembly for consideration and approval.

“At present, the efforts to support the families are not concerted. We have many families whose members were killed in Maoist violence. The state government wants to take care of all of them by providing special services to the families of victims in social, psychological and economic aspects of their lives,” sources told The Indian Express.

“It’s still in the draft stage and is being discussed at government level. As of now, the plan is to execute it from retrospective effect from November 1, 2000 when Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh,” they added.

Chief Minister Raman Singh himself mooted the idea of enactment of such a law after he felt the need for coordinated efforts for the rehabilitation of the families of all martyrs, including the innocent common people being killed in Naxal violence.

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