Desperate times call for desperate measures. At least this seems to hold true for pensioners of Punjab Agricultural University. The pensioners who held a rally in protest against non-disbursement of pension since December 2007 witnessed some tense moments here today.

This tension was palpable among the class III and IV retirees of the university when Gurdev Singh, one such pensioner, announced that he would set himself afire if the pensions were not disbursed soon.

Gurdev Singh, who has worked at the university’s Engineering Department, said, “I borrowed a hundred rupee note as my pockets were empty this morning.” Commenting on the soft stand of pensioners’ leadership, he complained, “Perhaps they are well-off, but 70% who have served as Class III or IV are in a shambles.”

Meanwhile inter-group rivalry, especially among the non-teaching employees, too came to fore at the protest rally here today when a member of the present regime led by Harbans Singh Mundi, protested when D.P. Maur, former president of the PAU non-teaching employees, was called to address the gathering. Commenting on this, N.K. Pillai, a senior member of the pensioners’ confederation, said, “At present, we need help of all the groups and what happened today was a personal feeling of one person. We pensioner will accept support from all corners.”

Another pensioner R.K. Katyal, who had retired from College of Basic Sciences, lamented, “How many years a person lives after 60 and if he has to look towards his children for support it becomes even difficult.” He said,” “Children start behaving indifferently once they realize that old man is now a burden.”

This dharna organised by the Confederation of PAU Pensioners’ Association alleged that around 2,650 retirees had not got their pensions for the past four months after university disclosed its inability to pay pensions as its pensions’ fund had exhausted in November.

After observing January 14 as the Black Day, the pensioners have been running from pillar to post but nothing except “unfulfilled assurances” had come their way. It seems now they have decided to use mightiest of the non- violent techniques — hunger strike — to make their voice heard by the state.