After a Press Club briefing, veterans intensified their protest at NTPC Bhawan, citing decades-long non-payment of dues and warning of a wider agitation if assurances fail to yield results.
New Delhi | December 27, 2025
Ninety-six ex-servicemen linked to the Dabhol Power Project/NTPC and Ratnagiri Gas and Power Private Limited staged a peaceful demonstration outside NTPC Bhawan at the SCOPE Complex on Lodhi Road on Saturday, demanding immediate settlement of salary and pension arrears pending for the past 24 years.
The protest followed a press conference held at the Press Club of India on December 26, where the veterans made public a set of documents supporting their claims and asserted that despite exhausting all constitutional, legal and institutional channels, their grievances remain unresolved.
Addressing the media at the protest site, the ex-servicemen said prolonged delays have left many of them, now in advanced age, grappling with severe financial hardship. They pointed out that the non-payment of dues has affected access to healthcare, food and housing, and has put the dignity and future of 96 families at stake. The veterans termed the situation a reflection of deep systemic failure.
During the demonstration, a delegation of the ex-servicemen was invited for talks by NTPC officials. Two senior officials, along with beat officer Rajesh Chaudhary, assured the protesters that their grievances would be formally heard and requested them to return on Monday for a scheduled meeting with the concerned authorities.
V.S. Salunkhe said the veterans have shown patience for over two decades and pursued every lawful remedy available. He added that the NTPC assurance would be closely monitored and that further steps would depend on tangible and time-bound outcomes.
Suresh Pachpute appealed to the media to maintain focus on the issue, warning that continued silence would undermine the importance of soldiers’ rights. Chandrakant Shinde noted that the matter has grown beyond individual complaints and now represents the collective dignity of all 96 affected families.
Explaining the future course of action, Vijay Nikam said the group would be forced to expand its agitation, including an indefinite sit-in and broader mobilisation, if the promised hearing does not lead to a concrete resolution.
The ex-servicemen reiterated that their movement remains peaceful, democratic and constitutional, but stressed that 24 years of neglect have compelled them to demand firm accountability. They urged the government and NTPC management to ensure that the assured dialogue results in a swift and decisive settlement of their long-pending dues.
