Ray of hope for SSB volunteers

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, August 4

More than 19,000 Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) volunteers who have been agitating for nearly six years have a reason to cheer as the Union Home Ministry has began a verification drive in the state to look into their demand for re-employment or pension.

“We are demanding facilities on a par with SSB volunteers in the north-eastern states. We are hopeful that after verifying genuine volunteers, the ministry will release a package soon,” said Brahmanand Dalkoti, national president of the SSB Volunteers’ Welfare Committee.

Dalakoti, who was addressing mediapersons on the completion of 2,101days of their agitation today, said volunteers who had been associated with the SSB for over 38 years of its inception were now struggling to get pension or reemployment.

“As many as 1,500 SSB volunteers died in the past 11 years awaiting relief from the governments. The remaining volunteers are committed to fighting for their cause till death,” said Dalakoti.

The SSB was formed in 1963 under the Union Cabinet Secretariat to gauge the possible enemy intrusions in the areas along the border with China. It had roped in the services of youths from border districts to train them in Guerillas warfare for 45 days at selected places.

“After the Government of India included the SSB in the category of paramilitary forces and deputing its jawans on the border with Nepal, it discontinued the services of SSB volunteers,” said Dalakoti.

The agitating SSB volunteers are demanding that they be given facilities on a par with volunteers of north-eastern states as ordered by the Guwahati High Court in 2004.

“We have spent major part of our life serving the nation. The government should look into our demands,” said Gopal Singh Mehta, state secretary of the SSB Volunteers’ Welfare Organisation.