Gurkhas Issue Ultimatum to UK Government for Rights and Equal Treatment

London.

Official response and confirmed impact

The British Gurkha Satyagraha Joint Struggle Committee, stating that the expected results have not been achieved through years of negotiations, government commitments, and various phases of protests, has given the British government a formal ultimatum to resolve the remaining issues by December 31, 2026.

In a letter sent to British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on October 1, committee chief convener Krishna Bahadur Rai warned that if the Gurkhas' main demands are not addressed within the stipulated time, peaceful protests, hunger strikes, and solidarity movements will be resumed in both Britain and Nepal.

This warning is not a new beginning for the Gurkha movement but a continuation of dissatisfaction with long-unfulfilled commitments.

The letter recalls the 1923 Anglo-Nepal Treaty of Friendship and the 1947 Tripartite Agreement, reiterating the demand for equal treatment for Gurkhas serving in British units, similar to other members of the regular army.

The Struggle Committee states that although the spirit of the agreement is clear, Gurkhas have faced inequality in practice for decades.

Incident under investigation

According to the Struggle Committee, Gurkhas have faithfully served the British Crown for generations, but issues of salary, pension, resettlement, identity, and equal treatment have not yet been fully resolved.

Gurkhas, who have a history of service, sacrifice, and martyrdom in the British army for over two hundred years, have once again knocked on the doors of the British government demanding their rights and equal treatment.