Ex-servicemen demand immediate resolution of decades-old salary and pension arrears; warn of larger, indefinite agitation if NTPC and authorities fail to act promptly.

New Delhi | December 27, 2025:

A group of 96 ex-servicemen associated with 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, protesting the non-payment of salary and pension dues for over 24 years.

The protest followed a press conference held by the veterans at the Press Club of India on December 26, where they publicly shared documents highlighting their unresolved claims and emphasised that all legal, constitutional, and institutional avenues had been exhausted without any resolution.

Speaking to the media during the demonstration, the veterans highlighted the severe hardships caused by the decades-long delay. Many of them, now elderly, are struggling to meet basic needs such as medical care, food, and housing. They stressed that the issue affects not only individual ex-servicemen but also the dignity and future of 96 families, pointing to a systemic failure in addressing their grievances.

A delegation from the protest was received by NTPC officials, who assured the veterans that their complaints would be formally heard. The officials, accompanied by beat officer Rajesh Chaudhary, invited the ex-servicemen to return on Monday for a meeting with relevant authorities to address their concerns.

V.S. Salunkhe stated that the veterans have pursued every legal route over the past 24 years and are now compelled to intensify their agitation. He warned that further action would depend on tangible outcomes from the upcoming meeting.

Appealing to the media for sustained coverage, Suresh Pachpute emphasised that silence on the issue undermines the rights of soldiers, while Chandrakant Shinde noted that the matter now concerns the collective dignity of 96 families rather than individual grievances.

Vijay Nikam clarified that if NTPC fails to provide a time-bound resolution, the veterans are prepared to escalate their protest, including organising an indefinite sit-in and wider mobilisation.

The ex-servicemen reiterated that their protest remains peaceful and constitutional, but they insisted that 24 years of neglect demand decisive accountability. They urged the government and NTPC management to ensure the promised meeting results in a concrete and timely settlement of their long-pending dues.