Our solidarity remains with the unity- Major (Retd.) Dewan

Mr Tikendra Dal Dewan

Dear Mr Krishna Rai,
Strange that this open email while addressed to me was received through FB. So do pardon me that I had to use the same route. You quite rightly refer to our ECHR where many stood on the fence awaiting the result which had it been successful each Gurkha would have enjoyed. To give you facts our legal firm had confirmed if we contested only for those with 22 years plus service, we had an excellent chance of winning and I fall in this category, yet I refrained sticking to the principle all or none.
The ECHR did however confirm that we were discriminated but justified as we were bound by the TPA – this is an important point for the British have cherry picked what suits them while denying what is our right hence the quest for 6 and 7 IPC while the battle for equal pension and the 12 points demand remained in force. By the way 2006 was the year 6 IPC was implemented and the 7 IPC in 2016 (it’s every ten years) The announcement of the 7 IPC increment too should be challenged as it does not explain the percentage implemented by the Indian Government.
Again, this should have been announced two years ago but stalled to time with the ongoing Gurkha saga which has been the case. 6 IPC has been totally ignored, and the main fact is that implementing what the Indian Government had authorised would have been a bigger headache for the British Government eg Hon Rank pensioned was brought in line to the commissioned ranks’ pension! I do hope you therefore realise why we were giving 6 and 7 IPC the importance it warranted. You must remember even were we to gain equal pension those discharged prior to Apr 75 will be left out as the British veterans have been and they too lost their case at the ECHR.
Please understand that as a recipient of AFPS 75 pensions I have nothing to gain by any IPCs but as a responsible Chair in the best interest of my members and the twenty thousand plus Gurkhas felt it important to raise this point which was the reason we had signed up with the rest where every organisations’ points had been included. Coincidentally as the email from Ram dai matches word to word with yours this email is addressed to both of you in an attempt to explain our query and it was never to blame the good work done by Satyagraha but merely pointing out it could have been done better.
Having said so, our solidarity remains with the unity. All the buros pre 97 agree the importance of 7 CPC and are happy with the increment while our quest for equal pensions and the twelve points remain in force. 
-Tikendra Dal Dewan
The author is the Chairman of the British Gurkha Welfare Society (BGWS)

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