Homeguards protest govt apathy

Gorakhpur, Aug 30 (UNI) Hundreds of homeguards today took out a protest march in Gorakhpur city against their alleged exploitation.

As a mark of protest, they also resorted to begging.

Their leader Suryanarain Pandey noted that the homeguards were living miserable lives even in an independent India.

He lamented that Uttar Pradesh had 1.25 lakh homeguard jawans, out of which only 20 per cent were put to duty and the rest 80 per cent were on the verge of starvation.

''We have no other option than to beg to eke out a living,'' he added.

Mr Pandey charged the state government with apathy towards their plight and demanded regularisation of homeguards to save them from starving.

UNI