Rehabilitation of displaced widows: SC slams state govts, Centre for shirking of responsibilities

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (January 30) slammed the state governments and Central government for unable to chart out comprehensive plan for the rehabilitation of displaced widows.

The bench comprising of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta was acting on the plea seeking rehabilitation of Vrindavan widows.

Expressing its resentment, the apex court said: “Now it is enough, it is your responsibility to do something for them. Everyone wants to avoid their responsibility and puts the blame on others for not working but nobody wants to do work.”

While rebuking the authorities on going slow with the issue, the apex court said: “If Court gives certain order to do something; then it is panned by the authorities saying that Court wants to rule the country.”

The Court further noted that no authority was serious for the rehabilitation of the widows and the time has come that the state government furnish written affidavit that it can’t work for the rehabilitation.

The Court directed the Centre to instruct all the state governments to secure information on the rehabilitation of widows and prepare an action plan on it.

The Court listed the matter for next hearing to February 7.

—India Legal Bureau