Retired paramilitary veterans to protest in Delhi tomorrow

Veterans will march towards Parliament in support of their demands

A group of retired paramilitary forces officials will hold a day-long protest at Jantar Mantar here tomorrow demanding grant of special pay, OROP and restoration of old pension scheme for lakhs of personnel.

Alleging "discrimination" by the government, the association of veterans of forces like CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB is also demanding sanction of a number of welfare benefits to both the serving and retired personnel of these forces tasked with the maintenance of internal security in the country.

"We have some genuine demands like the One Rank One Pension, paramilitary special pay, restoration of the old pension scheme that was stopped for those who joined these forces beginning 2004.

"These forces toil very hard to ensure the country's security and the government should ensure the welfare of these personnel and their families," General Secretary of the Confederation of Ex-Paramiltary Forces Welfare Association Ranbir Singh said.

He said apart from the dharna protest at Jantar Mantar, the veterans will march towards the Parliament in support of their demands and will submit a memorandum to the Home Ministry.

The wife and family of BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, who recently raised allegations of poor quality food being served to jawans, are also expected to join the protest, Singh said.

There are about 9 lakh jawans and officers in these forces, also called Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), that work under the command of the Union Home Ministry and they are tasked to not only conduct operations within the country but also to secure the borders.