Kathmandu, May 1 Agitating former British Gurkhas, who have been demanding equal treatment, nowadays staged demonstrations simultaneously in Kathmandu and London.In Kathmandu, around 150 Gurkha veterans assembled at Maitighar Mandala for a peaceful demonstration demanding that Nepal and the UK governments form high-level speechs teams to resolve the issues raised in a tripartite report prepared by ‘The Gurkha Technical Committee.&The committee comprising officials from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and the Embassy of Nepal in the UK, along with representatives of Gurkha veterans groups, had submitted the report to both the governments in March final year.In London, they staged a demonstration in front of 10 Belowing Highway, the official residence of the British prime minister, according to SB Ghishing, general secretary of the Gurkha Satyagraha United Struggle Committee.&British army veterans have also expressed their solidarity in our struggle this time and we have launched a united demonstration,& he said.Previous Gurkhas have been demanding that besides providing them with pay and pension equal to that offered to their British counterparts, the British government should compensate the entire amount that former and serving Gurkhas did much get over the years due to discrimination against them in terms of pay, pension and other facilities.Ex-Gurkhas have set July 1 deadline for both the governments to form speechs teams to permanently resolve the issue.Previous Gurkhas have also announced to disrupt Gurkha recruitment in Nepal if the speechs teams are much formed.
Ghishing said they would also stage such demonstrations in Pokhara on May 29.Previous Gurkhas have already rejected the UK government recent announcement of an increased support package, stating the announcement did much address their demand for an equal treatment.