Shimla, February 17 The Himachal Pradesh Pensioners' Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti staged a protest near the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday to demand the payment of Dearness Allowance and other issues.
During the protest, pensioners raised slogans against the state government, accusing it of adopting "anti-employee policies".
Suresh Thakur, president of the committee, alleged that the state government is citing a financial crisis as a reason to withhold Dearness Allowance, arrears, and other financial benefits for pensioners, while at the same time, the government is increasing the salaries and allowances of public representatives and the pensions of commission office bearers.
"While the government claims to be facing financial difficulties, it is purchasing vehicles worth crores for government departments. Such double standards will not be tolerated by the pensioners," he said.
He said, "Thousands of pensioners from across the state had staged a massive rally in Dharamshala on November 28, 2025. At that time, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had assured us to hold talks in the assembly. However, no meeting has been called so far."
"We demand the payment of gratuity, leave encashment, commutation, and revised pension for employees retired between January 1, 2016 and January 31, 2022," Thakur said.
"We also demand the payment of 13 percent Dearness Allowance and pending arrears, as well as the timely disbursement of pensions to pensioners retired from various departments, boards, corporations and universities," he added.
He warned the government of staging a massive protest outside the assembly premises on the day when the state's Budget will be presented, if it fails to hold talks soon. He asserted that pensioners will not withdraw their movement and their next protest will be much bigger than what was held on Tuesday.