Upset over PMO’s indifference, 63 lakh pensioners threaten self-immolation, mass suicides

More than 12 lakh letters later, addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office over the last four years from seniors aged 60 and above, senior pensioners have now threatened to stage self-immolations, fast-unto-death and mass suicides on December 4 to protest low payouts from the Employers Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)-95 scheme.

“Nearly 63 lakh pensioners who are receiving pensions in the range of ₹200 to ₹2500 post-retirement have threatened of a mass suicide to make their voices heard,” said Commander Ashok Raut, the president of the Rashtriya Sangharsh Samiti, the organisation representing the interests of old pensioners.

"On December 4, 2018, the EPS-95 pensioners will stage a protest outside EFP office outside Bhikaji Kama Place and sit on an indefinite strike," Commander Ashok Raut informed media persons.

Commander Raut further tells National Herald that 17 lakh pensioners are receiving less than ₹1000 a month, despite the PM having promised to increase the amount to ₹1000 in 2014.

“Nearly 63 lakh pensioners are getting pensions less than ₹1500 per month and the EPFO is misleading them,” he adds.

"The EPS-95 pensioners are being given in between ₹200 and ₹2500, despite a high rate of inflation. The representatives of the pensioners have even staged a protest in front of 10 selected CBT members in New Delhi, Visakhapatnam, Jalgaon (Maharashtra), Lucknow, Chandigarh, and Kolkata to mark their protests," said Commander Raut.

"Ironically, the government employees are being paid in between ₹1 lakh to 1.5 lakh per month and here pensioners are not even getting proper amount to fend their family," the Commander added.

Commander Raut further stated that Central government has stashed more than ₹4 lakh crore from the pensioners and getting huge interest from this amount but the pensioners are not getting their dues.

Raising the issue of death of more than 2 lakh pensioners within a period of 12 months, the EPS-95 pensioners' delegation had met with Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Labour and Employment Minister (MoS) Santosh Gangwar, numerous Members of Parliament, CBT and the Delhi Police Commissioner.

Commander Raut says that Gangwar, who the protestors had met on Nov 12, had demanded an extension of a month till December 12 for the government to look into their demands.

“But we told them that we have already been protesting for four years and we couldn’t afford them anymore time,” he said.

The four-and-a-half-year-long movement has witnessed seniors shaving their heads in protest outside District Magistrates’ offices, sending appeals via DM offices across India, and even lockdown protests of regional EPFO offices to draw the attention of the administration.

“They stripped their shirts off to mark their protests in front of the offices," says Commander Raut.