EPS - 95 Pensioners hold massive protest at Jantar Mantar, end hunger strike, decide to take protest to the streets
New Delhi : Pensioners from industrial/public/cooperative/private sectors, responding to the call of EPS-95 National Action Committee, concluded their massive protest and hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, and decided to extend nationwide sit-in protests for their cause.
The EPS-95 National Action Committee ( NAC ) has been ANactively organizing various demonstrations, from local to national levels, in Delhi over the past seven years. A memorandum has been submitted to all MP's of the ruling and opposition parties in the Parliament. Despite holding two meetings with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and receiving reassurances and directions, the negative role played by EPFO in denying the demands of EPS-95 pensioners was not approved. The committee has also had a meeting with the Finance Minister Smt . Nirmala Sitharaman regarding the matter but till date pensioners issue has remained unsolved.
Therefore, in accordance with the organization's decision, on July 20, 2023, National President of EPS-95 NAC, Commander Ashok Raut, and members of the Central Executive Committee, took part in the hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, stating that if the government fails to fulfill the committee's demands during the current session of Parliament, there will be widespread agitation across the country. Pensioners no longer rely on hollow promises. Future plans include rail blockades, encirclement of MPs, and other programs. Pensioners from several states joined the hunger strike site. Among them, Shiv Sena Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Osmanabad Shri Om Prakash Raje Nimbalkar from Maharashtra, addressed the gathering, and said, "this government is unjust to elderly pensioners in its intoxication of power, and Parliament will witness the opposition to such injustice."
The pensioners have also issued a warning that if their needs are not met then they will self immolate themselves as they are unable to live a dignified life due to non payment of their pension.
Present at the protest venue were Commander Ashok Raut - National President, Veerendra Singh Rajawat - National General Secretary, K.S. Tiwari - National Vice President, Om Shankar Tiwari, Ramesh Bahuguna - National Secretary, Ramakant Nargund - Chief Coordinator, Suresh Dangwal, Jay Prakash Mishra, Aijaz Rahman, C.B. Singh, Lal Bahadur Singh, Raghuvir Singh, B.S. Rawat, Shobha Aras, Sarita Narkhede, Asha Kambale, Lakshmi Karwade, and others.
The leadership of Commander Ashok Raut and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Osmanabad Shri Om Prakash Raje Nimbalkar brought the pensioners' concerns to the forefront, galvanizing widespread support and participation in the protest. As the National General Secretary, Veerendra Singh Rajawat, played a crucial role in organizing and coordinating the nationwide sit-in protests, demonstrating the committee's dedication to achieving their rightful demands for EPS-95 pensioners.
