Members of Kovai Ex-Servicemen and Widows Welfare Society who came to submit a petition to Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit were kept waiting for a long time here on Wednesday.They had come meet the Governor and submit petitions on issues they were facing. Most of them were ex-servicemen and widows of army personnel who died while protecting the country.

Association additional secretary C Velmurugan said, “We were waiting from morning 7:30 am to meet the governor and present our issues. We were made to wait till 1 pm.”Police personnel deployed for security did not respond to their requests. “We are senior citizens and without considering this, we were made to wait for a long time,” he added.

In their petitions, they alleged that most of the Central Government schemes for the welfare of ex-servicemen and their dependants were not being implemented by the State Government.Velmurugan said the State Government should follow the reservation policies in appointing ex-servicemen and their wards. Despite being qualified, they were not being the jobs, he said.

Governments in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab had exempted families of ex-servicemen from paying property tax, Velmurugan said.The demands included free bus pass for ex-servicemen and their wives above the age of 60.

Despite the order to provide housing facility for ex-servicemen near Malumichampatty in the district four months ago, no action had been taken, he alleged.