CHANDEL, December 11: Surviving war veterans of World War II who worked as volunteer force of the British Indian Forces in defending the county against the invading Japanese Army and widows of the dead veterans have expressed dissatisfaction against the lack of welfare scheme from the government side for them.
Speaking to media persons, 105-year old Khatlim Baite of Khongnangpheisabi village in Chandel district who claimed to have served as in the Volunteer Force (V-Force) during the WW II said that he joined the V-Force despite some of his friends choosing to join the INA.
The British forces gave us training on how to use fire arms at their Mombi Camp, he said.
Since then, we worked for the British Indian Forces by patrolling the deep jungles, gathering and providing information about the movement of the Japanese Army, he recounted.
However, the government has not taken up any welfare schemes for the war veterans particularly the Volunteer Force personnel till date, he lamented.
Bd Khitung Anal, a widow whose husband Ngamhring Anal worked as a Volunteer Force personnel also expressed dissatisfaction over the neglect of the local war veterans and appealed to the government to provide a pension scheme in recognition of their services during the war.
Another V-Force veteran Holhem Lhungdim presently staying at Dongjang village said that he joined the Volunteer Force under the Group Leader Maniram Singh.
And we worked for the British troops stationed at Sita camp in ayapurel area of Chandel District, he added.
Lhungdim further maintained that when the war came to an end, the British troops withdrew from the area and we were left behind.
The Indian government did not recognise the sacrifices we made in defending our country from foreign invasion and denied to provide a pension scheme, he lamented.
On the contrary, our colleagues who joined the INA and fought the British Indian Forces along with the invading Japanese Army were provided with a pension scheme.
While appealing for a pension scheme, Lhungdim questioned that if a pension scheme was provided to those INA who fought alongside the invading Japanese Army, why the government is denying the same to those who defended the country.
Th Houkhothang Baite, president of 2nd World War V-Force Veteran Ex-Servicemen Non-Pensioners Association, Chandel district said that there are about 400 war veterans who joined the Volunteer Force from Chandel District and most of them had lived a miserable life as no assistance were provided for them by the government.
Despite the State Assembly approval to provide Pension Scheme in 2000, no assistance including the scheme has been provided to the surviving Volunteer Force veterans or widows of veterans till date, he added.
Baite further maintained that a memorandum was also submitted to the State Chief Minister for providing pension last February. But no evident action is taken up till date by the government to address the grievances of the war Veterans and their families.
If the government is reluctant to recognize the services rendered by the Volunteer Force in defending the county against foreign invasion, the younger generations will refuse to sacrifice for the nation in times of emergency, he added.