SUCI(C) is organizing a protest against the suspension of social security pensions

Members of the Socialist Unity Center of India (Communist) (SUCI-C) staged a protest in Dharwad on Monday demanding the immediate release of social security pensions, which they said had been withheld for the past five months.

The protesters gathered from the Kala Bhavan Grounds to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

They held placards and shouted slogans against the Congress government. They submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the district administration.

They accused the Congress government of adopting anti-poor policies and demanded that pensions be ensured to all eligible beneficiaries and increased in view of rising prices.

The protesters demanded door-to-door verification for senior citizens, widowed and disabled beneficiaries, dedicated staff at the panchayat and taluk levels, raising the BPL income ceiling to Rs.3 lakh, wider publicity about the verification process and raising all social security pensions to a level commensurate with the current cost of living.

SUCI(C) state committee member Ramamanjanappa Aldalli told the protesters that the elderly, widows, disabled and other vulnerable groups are suffering due to this sudden stoppage of pensions.

“These people without regular sources of income are heavily dependent on Social Security pensions for food, medicine, health care and other basic needs. Stopping pensions in the name of document verification is an anti-poor measure. If ineligible recipients receive pensions, the corrupt system is responsible, not the poor,” he said.

He demanded that officials visit beneficiaries’ homes and verify documents, instead of forcing vulnerable people to visit government offices.

SUCI(C) District Secretary Lakshman Jadagannavar said that thousands of eligible beneficiaries were put in serious trouble as pensions were suspended during the re-verification process.

He referred to the government’s order dated August 18, which states that 23,14,544 beneficiaries have been subjected to re-verification and 18,06,032 beneficiaries have had their pensions suspended for various reasons.

“The state government has ordered continuation of pensions for eligible beneficiaries with annual income between Rs.32,000 and Rs.1.20 lakh after verification,” he said.

Mr. Jadagannavar urged the state government to conduct the verification process humanely by organizing special camps at the village and ward levels and immediately release the pending pensions to the eligible beneficiaries.

SUCI(C) district committee member Deepa Dharwad also spoke.

Published – 31 Aug 2026 21:38 IST