Saturday, May 09, 2009

Betrayal of Gurkha hero's family


If this story is true it is just stunning and reveals that Gordon Brown's promise to Joanna Lumley were just his typical Weasel Words. Yesterday I blogged about the death of four soldiers and the fact that one was a Gurkha nowaAccording to the Sunday Mirror

The widow of a hero Gurkha killed in Afghanistan was told she has no right to stay in Britain – just 24 hours after he was blasted to death by a Taliban suicide bomber.

Still stunned by news that Kumar Pun had given his life for Britain on Thursday, his wife Parbati was told on Friday she and his children could be ordered out of the UK next year.

And even though Kumar, 31, of Dover, loyally served his Queen and Country for 13 years, his wife may not even qualify for an Army widow’s pension.

The revelations come amid huge public outrage led by actress Joanna Lumley at the Government’s refusal to give all Gurkhas an automatic right to live here when they retire.

Kumar’s uncle Jak Phagami said yesterday Parbati, 28, cannot even grieve properly as she fears she and their two daughters will have to move 4,000 miles to Nepal, where she and Kumar were born.

Furious Jak, 43, himself a former Gurkha, said: “She is so upset about hearing of her husband’s death but now she is worried they won’t let her stay here.”

Speaking at Kumar and Parbati’s home in Kent, he added: “She was told by an Army person that when her visa runs out she may have to go back to Nepal and reapply for a British visa so she can come back. But her home is here now, the children are here and she must stay here. Parbati is in a terrible condition.

"She is totally distraught. She hasn’t eaten for two days or left her bedroom. She is slipping in and out of consciousness and we are really worried for her health.”

This story just beggars belief, how can we treat people like this, how can we treat people who are prepared to give their life's for our country with such disregard. We must right this terrible wrong.

Betrayal of Gurkha hero's family - widow told day after he dies she and family must leave Britain - mirror.co.uk

1 comment:

McNoddy said...

http://tinyurl.com/rav5l2