A British tribunal here has been told that the 2000 Gurkha veterans languishing in Nepal after completing their military service, should be allowed to live in Britain because of their strong ties to the country.
London, Aug.2 : A British tribunal here has been told that the 2000 Gurkha veterans languishing in Nepal after completing their military service, should be allowed to live in Britain because of their "strong ties" to the country.
There are presently about 3,500 Gurkhas serving with the Army, ome in Iraq and AfghanistanRetired Nepalese soldiers who left the Army before the rules changed 10 years ago are not automatically allowed to remain in Britain. Many were posted back to Nepal just before discharge and then refused the right to return, reports The Telegraph.
Now, in a landmark case, which could decide the rights of 2,000 Gurkha veterans, 44 are challenging the immigration service policy in Britain.
David Enright, representing the Gurkhas, who between them have 700 years of service and 170 medals for valour, said it was hard to think of any group of people having a stronger link to Britain.
He said: "War wounds, decorations won in battle, swearing allegiance to the Crown, serving for decades, fighting in battle and being injured, guarding the Queen, your father and grandfather serving the Queen, paying income tax to the Exchequer.
Since the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, Gurkhas are almost automatically entitled to live in Britain after completing at least four years of service - even if it was "just polishing boots in the barracks".
But those who retired before that date have to rely on the discretion of the British entry clearance officer and the diplomatic service procedure.
This states that only those who can demonstrate "strong ties" are allowed residency - and a distinguished Army career is not always sufficient.
This was demonstrated when Tul Bahadur Pun, 84, a Victoria Cross winner from the Second World War, was initially refused residency. The decision was reversed after a public outcry.
The lead case in the latest class action is Corporal Gyanendra Rai, a Falklands hero who suffered terrible injuries at Bluff Cove. Immigration officials fear the 51-year-old will try to stay here if he is granted a visitor's visa for specialised National Health Service treatment. The ex-machine gunner and father of five is in constant pain after his back was hit by shrapnel.
Rai, who served 14 years in the Armed Forces, required a skin graft from another soldier. He was awarded the South Atlantic Medal after being injured in June 1982.
Another Gurkha in the case is Lance Corporal Birendra Man Shrestha, 44, who served in the 1991 Gulf war and was decorated three times for bravery.
Gurkhas undergo one of the most rigorous selection processes in any modern army. Not only do recruits need good academic qualifications but they must complete the doko, which requires them to run five kilometres up the foothills of the Himalayas while carrying 35kg of rocks on their back. Only those fit enough to do so are deemed eligible for the Army.
The Ministry of Defence hires about 230 Nepalese soldiers a year to serve as Gurkhas, and at present there are about 3,500 serving with the Army, some of whom are on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During the two world wars, the Gurkhas suffered 43,000 casualties and won 26 Victoria Crosses, more than any other regiment. Even if they win residency in this country, older Gurkha veterans will find it difficult to live here. They are only paid a quarter of the normal Army pension, around 1,584 pounds a year.
ANI