28th March, New Delhi: Under the aegis of the National Struggle Committee (NAC), EPS-95 pensioners staged a sit-in protest in front of the Shramshakti Bhavan keeping silent about their demands. In this regard, National President of NAC, Commander Ashok Raut told that minimum Rs 7500 monthly pension and dearness allowance, medical facility, benefit of higher pension without any discrimination as per the decision of the Supreme Court and non-EPS retired employees by bringing them under the purview of the scheme.
He said that the EPS 95 pensioners had given a notice to the government that if the issue of pensioners is not resolved in the CBT meeting by March 31, then the pensioners would protest in front of Shram Shakti Bhavan. No decision was taken in the CBT meeting in favor of the EPS 95 pensioners.
That’s why EPS pensioners demonstrated in front of Shram Shakti Bhawan by participating in hundreds. Police reached there during the dharna. The police started lifting them, but the EPS 95 pensioners refused to get up. After this, the police arrested President Commander Raut and Virendra Singh Rajawat along with hundreds of pensioners and took them to the Mandir Marg police station. After taking action there, he was released at Jantar Mantar.
Comm Ashok Raut announced that they will hold massive but peaceful dharna in front of the houses of MPs from April 2.
EPS 95 Sangharsh Samiti has announced that starting from 2nd April, they will go on a chain hunger strike in front of the houses of all the MPs of the country everyday. This chain hunger strike will continue until our demands are met. National President of NAC Commander Raut said that it is legally established that EPS 95 pensioners have been fighting against EPFO for the last 7 years.
The movement of these pensioners took place several times from Tehsil level to Delhi. At Jantar Mantar and Ramlila Ground in Delhi, pensioners protested on a large scale several times. Despite that, the government did not listen to them. Twice the Prime Minister and several times the Labor Minister made promises after a special request from the Honorable Prime Minister. Despite this, there is a lot of anger among the pensioners due to non-acceptance of their demands. That’s why old pensioners had to hit the streets today.
It may be noted that there are 70 lakh EPS 95 pensioners of industrial/public/cooperative/private sector in the country, who worked in 186 industries. “He shed his blood, sweat for 30/35 years of his youth and worked day and night to make the country prosperous. Today he gets an average pension of Rs.1171. So the EPS pensioners are leading a miserable and dying life. Many pensioners are dying due to lack of respectable pension and medical facilities. So even though the country is making progress today, it is being felt that the condition of EPS pensioners is getting worse. The government has various pension schemes for those who have not contributed to the pension fund. But there is meager pension for those who have contributed every month during the entire service. Why this step motherly treatment?” Commander Raut said.
Commander Raut added that “for the last 7 years many agitations were done continuously. NAC The headquarter of this organization is in Buldhana. A chain fast is going on at this place for the last 1557 days. Elderly pensioners are on hunger strike regardless of heat, wind and rain. Honorable Sir, understanding the feelings of the pensioners and the seriousness of this subject, in the session of the Parliament, accept the demands of the pensioners and give them justice. So that these old pensioners can live their remaining life with dignity.”
