# Despite Assurances from PM Modi, Pensioners Declare ‘Do or Die’ Situation, Prepare for Parliament March”
# “Death Toll Rises: 200 Pensioners Perish Daily in Hope of Justice, EPS-95 Rashtriya Sangharsh Samiti Takes Drastic Action”
New Delhi, Wednesday, December 6
In a resolute move, the EPS-95 Rashtriya Sangharsh Samiti is set to organize an huge rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on December 7, as approximately 50,000 pensioners from across the nation unite to demand an increase in minimum pension. Despite the cancellation of 132 trains, pensioners, all aged above 60, will converge to voice their plea for justice.
Following the mammoth rally, a fast unto death is scheduled at Jantar Mantar starting from December 8. The National President of the organization, Commander Ashok Raut, National General Secretary Shri Virendra Singh Rajawat, and National Chief Advisor Shri Dr. PN Patil will partake in this fast until the central government reaches a decision.. The fast aims to draw attention to the dire need for an increase in pensions that has been unmet for seven years.
Commander Ashok Raut, the national president of the committee, expressed concern over the increasing death rate of pensioners, citing an average of 200 elderly individuals passing away daily in the hope of justice. The committee demands fulfillment of its four-point demands, including an increase in the government’s contribution to the pension scheme, aligning with the contribution increases in other pension schemes.
Despite two meetings with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the submission of a memorandum outlining the pensioners’ demands, the organization asserts that no concrete action has been taken. Commander Ashok Raut stressed, “Our demands have been kept pending for a long time, and now it is a do-or-die situation for us.”
National Secretary Ramesh Bahuguna highlighted the anger within the committee due to the prolonged delay in addressing the pensioners’ demands. Faced with the grim reality of an average of 200 pensioners succumbing daily in anticipation of a pension increase, the committee has decided to embark on a fast unto death. The EPS-95 pensioners are steadfast in their resolve to secure a minimum pension of Rs 7500, dearness allowance, and additional benefits outlined in the EPFO’s letter dated 23.03.2017.
This desperate demand for justice is not only a plea for financial relief but a call to protect the dignity and well-being of the country’s elderly population. The EPS-95 Rashtriya Sangharsh Samiti implores the government to take immediate action and end the suffering of the pensioners who have endured this struggle on various platforms for several years.
