Jaipur, March 12 The disabled war veterans of the Indian armed forces in Rajasthan have urged the Centre to reconsider its decision to withdraw income tax exemption on pensions they receive for injuries sustained during wars, saying the move is "deeply painful" for soldiers.
Colonel A K Mathur (Retd), President of the Disabled War Veterans of Rajasthan, said that the issue concerns the dignity and honour of soldiers injured in military operations. He said that the Centre has proposed to bring disability pensions for soldiers within the ambit of income tax from April 1, 2026.
Veteran organizations have urged the central government to amend the Finance Bill 2026, exempting War Injury Pension (including service element and war injury element) from income tax for "all cases, regardless of whether they are invalidated or retired".
"This is not about opposing the government. We are apolitical. But this decision has caused deep pain among Disabled War Veterans," Col Mathur said on Thursday.
"A soldier never thinks about his life when defending the country. If someone loses a limb or suffers permanent disability, it is for the nation. The government must stand by such soldiers and respect their sacrifice," he said.
He said imposing income tax on pensions would effectively mean taxing the sacrifices of soldiers.
Col Mathur said that the tax exemption has been in place since 1922 (over 104 years) and continued under the Income Tax Act 1961.
"For many disabled veterans, pension is the primary source of income. Imposing tax will make an already challenging life full of pains and sufferings even more difficult," he said, urging the government to immediately withdraw the decision.
Disabled war veterans form a very small section of the armed forces, but their sacrifices are immeasurable, he added. According to veteran groups, Rajasthan alone has around 700 such disabled war veterans.
Retired Havildar Suresh Singh Solanki, a Shaurya Chakra awardee who was seriously injured in a militant attack in July 2006, said the proposed withdrawal of the exemption has come as a shock.
"I was hit by six bullets in my ear, chest, stomach, and thigh while serving the country. I received the Shaurya Chakra on January 26, 2007," Solanki said.
"We never worried about our lives when we were fighting for the country. But this decision is extremely painful. The tax exemption on pension was a way for the government to acknowledge the sacrifices we made," he said.
Solanki, who retired in 2025 and now lives in Karauli district, said that many disabled soldiers depend entirely on their pensions after retirement.
"Due to disability, many of us cannot work like before. The exemption helped us support our families. Taking it away makes it feel as though our difficulties no longer matter," he said.
Another disabled veteran, Naib Subedar Bhagwan Singh, who lost a leg in a mine blast near Kupwara along the Line of Control in 1995, also expressed concern over the move.
"The blast happened in difficult terrain and I was carried on the shoulders of fellow soldiers for nearly 17 hours before reaching a hospital. My leg had to be amputated," he said.
Singh, who retired in 2015 and currently works as a lower division clerk in the electricity department, said the tax exemption helped offset the financial challenges faced by injured soldiers and their families.
"Disability changes life completely – not only for the soldier but for the entire family. Medical needs increase and opportunities to work become limited. Pension becomes the main source of livelihood," he said.
Another disabled ex-serviceman, Havildar Jabbir Hussain, said that removing the tax exemption would add to the difficulties faced by injured soldiers.
"We served the country day and night without worrying about our lives. The exemption was a small support that acknowledged our sacrifice. Taking it away is unfortunate," Singh said.
Col Mathur said that the War Injury Pension is not an income earned; it is a compensation for permanent loss of limb, organ, or function sustained during military operations.
"Taxing this pension amounts to taxing the blood and sacrifice of soldiers who have already paid a price far greater than any citizen should ever have to," he said.
