Oppn parties support demand for universal pension for elderly

Opposition parties, including the Congress and Samajwadi Party, Monday extended their support to the demand for a universal pension of Rs 3,000 for the elderly.

Leaders of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, SP, Congress, NCP and Left parties addressed around 10,000 senior citizens who came from over 16 states to protest at the Jantar Mantar to demand a dignified universal pension of Rs 3,000.

The protest was organised under the banner of NGO HelpAge India and Pension Parishad, a network of around 200 civil society organisations.

RJD spokesperson Manoj Jha said his party would make every effort to give a pension of Rs. 6,000 -- with Rs 3,000 from the Centre -- to the elderly in Bihar, when it comes to power.

He said, "The ruling party will soon realize that the clamour for a proper pension is going to get stronger.

Javed Ali of the SP said the party will make it a key issue in the manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls.

NCP general secretary D P Tripathi said the demand for a minimum pension of Rs 3,000 was genuine and no one can afford to ignore or deny it.

Ashwini Kumar of the Congress said it was not just a battle for financial security, "it is about self-respect and ensuring a life of dignity for millions of elderly people who have worked tirelessly all their life to serve others".

He said the government must spell out its intentions clearly and then make a concerted effort to make universal pension a realizable right for the elderly.

Congress' Madhusudan Mistry said if elected to power, the party will bring in a law for all governments to abide by the obligation of providing social security to the elderly.

Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj Party asked all senior citizens to take "advantage of the forthcoming general elections and assert the demand for universal pension vociferously".