The West Bengal government will on Sunday confer the first-ever 'Paschimbanga Lokotantra Senani Samman' on 325 people who were jailed for participating in protests during the Emergency in 1975, a senior officer said.
India was placed under a state of Emergency between June 25, 1975, and March 21, 1977. The 21-month period witnessed restrictions on the media, arrests of opposition leaders, curbs on civil liberties and greater centralisation of administrative powers, issues that have remained subjects of political debate.
While the Narendra Modi government has been observing June 25 as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas', several states, especially those ruled by the BJP, honour Emergency-era prisoners with awards and pensions.
The BJP came to power in West Bengal for the first time in the Assembly polls this year.
The senior state government officer said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will present the honours at an event at the state secretariat on August 9. The awardees include people from almost every district who were imprisoned for participating in movements during the Emergency, he said.
"Necessary arrangements have been made in coordination with the district magistrates for the participation of the awardees and the smooth conduct of the programme," the official said.
