Kathmandu, July 19:

The Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organisation (GAESO) has criticised the Defence Section of the British Embassy, Brigade of Gurkhas and the Defence Ministry for dismissing British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s assurance to revise the pension of the British Gurkhas.

According to the release issued by the Defence Section, Defence Minister announced today in the British parliament there will be a significant hike in pension to retired Gurkha Other Ranks, who are members of the Gurkha Pension Scheme (GPS).

“It has been agreed that, in addition to the 7.3 per cent increase received earlier this year as part of the annual inflationary uplift, there will be a further increase of at least 19 per cent for Privates, with lesser increased for those up to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1, to be backdated to January 2006.” The release stated that the increase will conform to Indian Pay Commission.

“The British government has once again tried to deceive us,” the GAESO said today. Commenting on the release issued by the Defence Section, GAESO vice-president Kul Prasad Pun said this was nothing but a strategy to pacify the movement of the Gurkhas.

“Our fight is for pension on a par with British counterparts. We are not Indians and we object to the declaration of the British government to provide pension on par with Indian army.”