By IANS
New Delhi : Stung by the step-motherly treatment, some 200,000 retired paramilitary troopers and their families will march to parliament June 14 to demand parity with their counterparts in the armed forces.
Among the demands of the Central Paramilitary Forces Ex-servicemen Association is treatment at par with retired armed forces personnel in status and facilities, common pension rules, and one-rank one-pension norm.
"Our intention to 'Karo ya Maro' (Do or Die) is persistent until our aim is achieved," Association general secretary P.S. Nair said in a letter to Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
Former Supreme Court judge V.R. Krishna Iyer, who had delivered a series of landmark judgements relating to civil liberties and other issues in the 1970s, is the association's chief patron.
"The government may please note that we have the moral support of all ranks of all paramilitary forces and their entire family members in the country," Nair added.
Copies of the letter have been sent to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who is the supreme commander of the armed forces, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A.K. Antony and ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
The letter recalls that the government had invited the association for talks following its threat to march to parliament on Sep 18, 2006 but nothing had subsequently been done to address their demands.
For instance, it had been decided at the meeting that a canteen system similar to that existing in the armed forces, as also a Welfare And Rehabilitation Board (WARB) would be established for the central paramilitary forces (CPMFs).
"Though the proposed canteen facilities were reportedly commenced at the headquarters of the CPMFs, it was neither cleared whether these facilities are extended to CPMFs personnel nor any guidelines in this regard were issued," the letter said.
Further, there were also doubts whether the commodities, including liquor, provided in the canteens, would be similar to those in the armed forces' canteens, the letter added.
"Hence, we once again request the government to consider our demands favourably to avoid any unpleasant situation," it said.