Kerala: AICPFEWA to start agitation from Apr 17

Kozhikode, Apr 15: The All India Central Para-Military Forces Ex-servicemen Welfare Association (AICPFEWA) will resort to agitation all over India from April 17, demanding retirement benefit to them on par with Defence personnel.

Talking to newspersons here today, AICPFEWA all India President N Ramachandran said ''We are forced to resort to agitation'' against ''the apathy and indifferent attitude'' of the Central and State Governments towards ex-para-military personnel in the country. Mr Ramachandran alleged that about 7000 personnel had sacrified their lives and about 5000 men sustained injuries, while guarding the borders of the country during the last five years, but the Governments were hesitating to extend them the facilities enjoyed by the Ex-servicemen.

He said as part of the agitation, activists of the association, would seige the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp at Pallippuram in Thiruvanthapuram and camps in Punjab and Haryana on April 17. A relay fast would be observed at the centres, he added.

He said the agitation would be further intensififed by staging indefinite sit-in protests before the camps of para-military forces, including BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, Assam Rifles and SSB, throughout the country from April 18.

UNI