Chairman of the British Gurkha Welfare Society (BGWS), a major Gurkha organisation in UK, Major (Retd.) Tikendra Dal Dewan has reiterated that BGWS is in favour of settlment right to all ex-Gurkhas irrespective of when they got retired.

BGWS chairman Major (Retd.) Dewan (third from left) addressing the press conference at Farnborough, UK on Sunday

Major Dewan said that 292 petitions filed by the BGWS on behalf of ex-Gurkha soldiers seeking settlement rights in UK are still pending at the British courts. He also urged media to be responsible and not to be swayed by rumours. He said BGWS was ready to take part in a public hearing conducted by a panel of distinguished independent personalities, if still there were any doubts.

He quoted his letter dated Nov 11 to Mr Vaz which said, ” Settlement alone is not the solution; it should be granted in recognition to their service to the Crown. But in reality equal pension is the only solution to the whole Gukrha issue.”

“Never were we treated equally in pay, pension, quartering, married accompanied tour and entitlements. To add insult to injury, those serving in the British Army from the Froeign and Commonwealth countries were granted settlement rights with a minimum of four years service. Our minimum fifteen years counted for nothing,” he further said, in his letter. He also requested all to see the copies of letters he had sent in the website of the Society, www.bgws.org

Major Dewan said that 292 petitions filed at the initiation of BGWS on behalf of ex-Gurkha soldiers, seeking right to settlement in UK, are still pending at British courts. He also urged media to be responsible and not to be swayed by rumours. He said BGWS was ready to take part in a public hearing conducted by a panel of distinguished independent personalities, if still there were any doubts.

In the aftermath of the court verdict, British Home office is currently reviewing laws related to allowing settlement to ex-Gurkhas in the UK. Terming the British government’s decision not to allow ex-Gurkhas who had retired prior to July 1997 as “unlawful,” the British high court had asked the UK government to revise the laws accordingly. Only Gurkhas who retired after 1997 are allowed to settle in UK so far. nepalnews.com Dec 16 08