Kathmandu: A protest rally has been staged in London to press the British government to address demands by Gurkha veterans including an equal pension on a par with their British counterparts.
Demonstrators from Gurkha community carried placards with message demanding the address the grievances of Gurkha veterans and vaccines for Nepal in the rally led by British Gurkha Satyagraha United Struggle Committee UK-Nepal to official residence and office of the Prime Minister.
The struggle committee has warned of staging a hunger strike in London from July 1 if their demands are not addressed within June last. The committee had submitted an ultimatum letter to the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on May 4 asking for his response by midnight June 30, 2021.
“If the British government fails to respond to the ultimatum, we shall be left with no options other than staging a hunger strike in London commencing on July 1, 2021,” the committee said an appeal for a public support.
The committee has appealed to the British people to encourage their government to take the Gurkha issues extremely seriously and hold a government-to-government meeting immediately.
Earlier, the British Ministry of Defense had said that the Nepal government can communicate with the British government to address the grievances of Gurkha veterans.
The UK Ambassador in Nepal is in contact with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on a regular basis and should the Nepal government wish to communicate on the matter of Gurkha veteran grievances, they may do so, the Ministry had said in a formal response to a joint letter sent by six Gurkha organizations.
Photos: Lex Limbu
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