British government has uncovered its new plans to lend its support to Indian soldiers who rendered their service for Britain during the two World Wars.
UK International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said that the British government is aims to rectify injustice being faced by war veterans of Commonwealth nations including India as many of the families of the war veterans are currently living in pathetic conditions in their respective countries.
"These veterans were cast off, not taken care of and not given pensions and looked after. There are about 8,500 of these individuals and their widows around the world who are living on one meal a day and have no access to healthcare," Mordaunt said, during her address at the Punjabi Society of the British Isles annual gala on Wednesday (31).
"I will announce a new programme that will take care of these servicemen and veterans and their widows for the rest of their lives. And, I think that is a great example of the values and the shared humanity among the members of the Commonwealth that the Punjabi Society exhibits," she added.
The new initiative will be a a joint collaboration between the Royal British Legion, the UK's armed forces charity, and the Department for International Development's UK Aid initiative.
The new initiative is set to be formally declared in the Remembrance Sunday to be held on November 11 each year as a day computerate the contribution of British and Commonwealth armed and civilian servicemen and ladies in the two World Wars and later battles. It also marks the Armistice Day of November 11, 1918, when World War I came to an end.
"The Punjabi Society is known for its efforts to support good causes over the years and we are very proud to help raise funds for the armed forces charity Combat Stress this year," said Rami Ranger, British Indian businessman and patron of the society.
At the Punjabi Society event, a charity auction with lots such as a series of cricket paraphernalia signed by Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli collected more than £20,000 for UK’s Combat Stress, another military forces charity.
Damian Talbot