The Himalayan Times reports:
Their case relates to an offer made by the British defence ministry in March 2007 to transfer pensions' benefits from the existing scheme for Gurkhas, the Gurkha Pension Scheme, into the more mainstream Armed Forces Pension Schemes (AFPS).The ministry offered to transfer the value of the GPS pensions into the AFPS for periods of military service after July 1, 1997, which lawyers for the trio argue unfairly prejudices older retiring Gurkhas, whose service was primarily before that date.
Philippa Tuckman, lawyer of the three Gurkha soldiers, said that these men had a terrific struggle on the money they received. She further said that they had fought for the British and served in the British Army all over the world and helped train the soldiers. All they were doing was seeking fair pension. On the contrary, lawyers for the ministry said that the conduct of the ministry was neither irrational nor discriminatory.
Impressed by their skill as soldiers, the British started to hire the Gurkhas since 1815. The Gurkhas bravely fought with them in the two World Wars. Till today, they are loyally serving the British government, but their life is full of sufferings. Like Kumar Shrestha, Kamal Purja and Sambahadur Gurung, there are many soldiers who are suffering from such unequal treatment. Protesting against such unequal law, in March, thousands of Gurkha soldiers and their families gathered at the
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Nepalese Gurkha soldiers are working under the British Army for more than hundred years. Most of the armies lost their lives during the war. Then Gurkha soldires devoid of their fair pension. It is such a brutal behave in this new era. I would like to give a special thanks of these three soldiers. Hope they will get success in their way of struggle. Best wishes to them.
Posted by: kamrul hasan | June 4, 2008 7:48 AM | Permalink to Comment