A Note on Meeting on
Senior Citizens Protest Day, Hyderabad on 16th August 2013
In a State wide agitation covering 16 districts (thirty
three locations) in Andhra Pradesh, Senior Citizens wearing black badges,
observed Senior Citizens National Protest day today. Rallies, meetings and
Dharnas were held in Adilabad, Nizamabd, Nalgonda, Prakasam, Srikakulam,
Hyderabad, Visakapatnam, Vizianagaram, Warangal, W Godavary, E Godavari,
Chittoor, Kurnool, Krishna, Karimnagar and Guntur. This is the fourth year in succession
that such a protest day is being observed. Meeting held in Hyderabad is
described below.
The indoor meeting was organised in Lions Bhavan
Secunderabad. Nearly 160 people participated. The Joint Action Committee
consisting of Representatives of AISCCON, APSCCON, FAPSCO, TCSCCON, HelpAge,
BPS, Aasara and others organised this meeting. There was a press meet some
three days earlier but no media person turned up. Sri RN Mital, Sri CH
Parameshwar Reddy, Sri Razak Ahmad, Sri Om Prakash, Sri Prakash Yande, Sri Md
Sattar, Smt Prasanna, Sri Linga Reddy and Sri Ramachandriah were on the dais.
Sri Linga Reddy welcomed all. He gave a gist of our main
demands for which the Protest day is being observed. Sri RN Mital explained how
senior citizens have been neglected all through for many decades. Recently revised
Companies Act lays emphasis on CSR but does not include supporting Senior
Citizens Causes. As Elder abuse is becoming rampant, stringent punishment must
be provided in MWPSCA, similar to provisions in Domestic Violence Act. The
plight of EPS 95 pensioners was explained.
Sri Parameshwar Reddy traced the history of SCNPD and spoke on Lok
Adalats, Generic medicines and SHRC related activities. Sri Om Seth said even
after 6 months of giving four representations by FAPSCO to the Chief Minister
they have not reached concerned department yet! Mr Razak of HelpAge told how
pamphlets, posters, banners etc have been despatched to 16 districts in AP (33
locations) to help organising Protest Day activities. Sri Chandramouli spoke of
SCOVA and its bonding pensioners with other senior citizens. Sri Ms Sattar
spoke in Hindi and listed out specific concessions we should ask for -- these
included: bus fare, house tax, telephone and electricity.
Sri Prakash Yande gave a detailed account of problems of
EPS95 pensioners and informed us of a large meeting of 3000 EPS95 pensioners
being held in Sevagram near Wardha on 1st September 2013. Smt Prasanna of ING Life, who sponsored the
event with a generous donation of Rs 25000/-, made a presentation. Second
career opportunities for senior citizens with ING Life were explained.
Sri IM Bhalla (9849244480) who distributed his book “For a
Corruption Free Society : Let us do our bit for fighting Corruption” spoke
emphasising that the root cause for all our evils is lack of ethics arising out
of greed and corruption. Other speakers included Smt Sobha Mr Sharma, Ms Kamakshi, Sri V satyanarayana and
Prof Visweswaraiah. Sri Ramachandraiah thanked all and concluded the meeting.
Apart from promotional material from ING Life and Agarwal
Eye Hospital and the book by Mr Bhalla, SCNPD pamphlet, Speech of Sri Linga
Reddy, Note on EPS95, Twilight Life newsletter were distributed. The event
ended with lunch hosted by ING Life.
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