Kin of Army martyrs during a protest in Patiala on Monday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 11

Having exhausted all other options, widows of 1962 and 1965 war martyrs today sat on a dharna to press for their pending demands with the state government at the Mini-Secretariat complex here.Bant Kaur, who lost her husband Pyara Singh in the 1965 India-Pakistan war, and Surjit Kaur, the widow of Jangir Singh who died in the 1962 Indo-China war, are running from pillar to post to get financial justice. As many as 20 other such war widows have also joined the protest that would continue outside the DC office.War widows said their protest should not be politicised but their “pending pension and other promised assurances be given to them”. There are at least 60 such pending cases in Punjab. Three pertained to Patiala. While one died in penury the other two are continuing the fight for their rights. A letter from the Director, Defence Services Welfare Department, written in 2015 informed these widows that “their cases are pending along with 60 other similar cases as no decision has been taken by the government”.    “I have worked as a daily wager and even washed utensils to earn a livelihood waiting that someday I would be given the promised 10-acre land. Despite writing letters and raising our issue time and again, all we hear is that the government is yet to clear 60 odd cases of war widows residing in Punjab,” rues Bant Kaur, who resides in Duladdi village.“Fed up with the whole system, I would now be leaving my home and sit on a regular dharna till the Chief Minister intervenes,” she adds. The dharna will continue till the issue is taken to its logical end. Some political parties also contacted to extend support but the families had politely declined, the association claimed.