Kejriwal finds new battle ground, takes up NSG cause
23 Nov 2012 8:03 AM IST
A day after Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was hanged, India Against Corruption (IAC) activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday accused the government of misleading the country about the compensation offered to National Security Guard (NSG) commandos who were injured fighting the Pakistani terrorists in 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Kejriwal said commandos who risked their lives are victims of government’s apathy and they did not get their dues. He said that some of the commandos were sacked without pension and some were denied medical benefits. He also presented a NSG commando – Lance Naik Surender Singh who got injured and lost his hearing during 26/11 – at a press conference. The charges were however refuted by Ministry of Defence.
‘Ajmal Kasab was hanged on Wednesday but those NSG commandos who fought these terrorists are still fighting for their rights. Some of them were thrown out of their job without pension and they foot their own medical bills. They did not get any honours,’ Kejriwal said. He said that a total of Rs.31 lakh was given to the 11 injured and out of this, he got just 2.5 lakh.
Surender Singh said that the Indian Army denied post-retirement benefits to him on the ground that he has not completed 15 years of service. He also claimed that the injured NSG commandos received a number of gifts in the form of cheques but it was not given to the injured commandos.
The Indian Army, however refuted the charges. MOD in a press release said, ‘NK Surender Singh has been sanctioned pensionary and terminal benefits viz-a-viz retirement gratuity Rs 2,11,458/-, Commutation of pension Rs 11,35,809/-, Armed Forces PF Rs 6,48,195/-, Army Group Insurance Rs 1,13,849/- and Army Group Disability Cover Rs 10 lakhs, Final settlement of accounts Rs 89,705/- and ex-gratia from welfare fund Rs 10,000/-. He is also entitled to an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 9 lakhs for 100% disability which will be processed separately. He has been sanctioned a pension of Rs.25,254/- per month which includes service elements and war injury elements.’
Kejriwal said commandos who risked their lives are victims of government’s apathy and they did not get their dues. He said that some of the commandos were sacked without pension and some were denied medical benefits. He also presented a NSG commando – Lance Naik Surender Singh who got injured and lost his hearing during 26/11 – at a press conference. The charges were however refuted by Ministry of Defence.
‘Ajmal Kasab was hanged on Wednesday but those NSG commandos who fought these terrorists are still fighting for their rights. Some of them were thrown out of their job without pension and they foot their own medical bills. They did not get any honours,’ Kejriwal said. He said that a total of Rs.31 lakh was given to the 11 injured and out of this, he got just 2.5 lakh.
Surender Singh said that the Indian Army denied post-retirement benefits to him on the ground that he has not completed 15 years of service. He also claimed that the injured NSG commandos received a number of gifts in the form of cheques but it was not given to the injured commandos.
The Indian Army, however refuted the charges. MOD in a press release said, ‘NK Surender Singh has been sanctioned pensionary and terminal benefits viz-a-viz retirement gratuity Rs 2,11,458/-, Commutation of pension Rs 11,35,809/-, Armed Forces PF Rs 6,48,195/-, Army Group Insurance Rs 1,13,849/- and Army Group Disability Cover Rs 10 lakhs, Final settlement of accounts Rs 89,705/- and ex-gratia from welfare fund Rs 10,000/-. He is also entitled to an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 9 lakhs for 100% disability which will be processed separately. He has been sanctioned a pension of Rs.25,254/- per month which includes service elements and war injury elements.’
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