Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, June 24: The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Pensioners United Front held a peaceful sit-in protest in Rajouri voicing serious concern over reports that a vast number of retired Government employees across the country may be excluded from the benefits of the proposed 8th Pay Commission.
The protest reflected growing unrest among pensioners who feel neglected and sidelined in the Government’s current policy considerations.
Speaking on the occasion District President of the Front, Mohd Iqbal, Vijay Sharma, Karamat Malik, Tilak Raj, Mohd Maqbool, Satveer Singh and others stated that the organisation which represents lakhs of pensioners in Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has submitted a detailed memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister of India through the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri.
The memorandum highlights the urgent need to ensure that all categories of pensioners are included in the scope of the 8th Pay Commission in line with constitutional rights and judicial precedents. Mohd Iqbal emphasised that the principle of pension parity-strongly upheld by the Supreme Court and previous Pay Commissions-must be safeguarded and not diluted under any circumstances.
He expressed concern over any possible move to tamper with these legal protections through the use of parliamentary majority, calling it a direct threat to justice and equity. He further appealed to the Prime Minister for personal intervention asserting that pensioners, who have dedicated their lives in service of the nation, deserve to be treated with fairness and dignity.
During the protest, the Front also criticised the Jammu and Kashmir administration for what they termed as continued neglect towards the rights and welfare of pensioners. Mohd Iqbal pointed out several unresolved issues including non-payment of gratuity, delay in sanctioning of commutation loans and withheld leave salaries. He also condemned the persistent delay in the disbursement of medical allowance despite repeated representations. The protestors highlighted the failure of the Government to implement existing welfare laws meant for senior citizens and demanded corrective action at the earliest. They reiterated their long-standing demand for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme and urged the Government to immediately release the pending arrears of Dearness Allowance from the Covid period.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
