US EDITION
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

WW II veterans demand freedom-fighter status

Indians who took part in the Second World War should be given the status of freedom-fighters, their coordinating cell demanded today.

In a letter to all political parties, World War II (India) coordinating cell's chairman Raghubir Singh appealed to them to include the demand in their manifestos for the coming Lok Sabha election.

The Second World War veterans from India and their widows, who number about one lakh, are at present paid a measly old age pension ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 750 by various state governments. This is less than half of the pension paid to freedom-fighters.

The war veterans were discharged without any service benefits, leaving them and their families to fend for themselves, Singh pointed out.

The cell also demanded that pension payment to war veterans be included in the central subject, he said.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report