Aizawl: Hundreds of ex-servicemen and their relatives, under the aegis of the Mizoram Ex-Service League, took to the streets here on Thursday, protesting against the government's decision to create a director-general's post for the Mizoram Home Guard and Civil Defence which can be held only by a Mizoram police service (MPS) officer.

The rally was taken out from Zarkawt to Vanapa Hall where a function was held.

Addressing the gathering, League president Col John Zama said they opposed the move to create the director-general's post under Mizoram Home Guard and Civil Defence for MPS officer.

He said the Mizoram Home Guard was started by 10 retired army personnel in 1964. It is currently headed by a commandant general-cum-additional director, which, he said, was enough for the workers. "We don't want the MPS office to control us," he added.

Zama said the state government had in August 2014 decided to create the director-general's post in violation of the Mizoram Home Guards Act, 1985, which, he alleged, was an insult to the League and the Mizoram Home Guard Service Association.

After the association appealed, Gauhati High Court overruled the decision on the grounds that the state government can't create a post higher than commandant general, he added.

Zama alleged that the state government was giving undue favour to Mizoram police. "We want the government to be impartial in treating its employees and give due respect to ex-servicemen," he said. Quoting the ministry of home affairs directive, he said a state-level home guard organisation should be headed by a commandant general, while the head of the home guard in the entire country is to be called a director general.

The protesters also demanded 10 per cent job reservation for ex-servicemen in group 'C' posts and 20 per cent in group 'D' posts, a hike in the monthly stipend of World War II veterans and exemption from property tax under the Aizawl Municipal Corporation for all ex-servicemen.

Major Thangkima, another leader, said the Mizoram Home Guard has 1,070 employees, 72 war veterans, and 491 widows of home guards. He said the war veterans receive a monthly stipend of Rs 1,200, while the widows receive Rs 1,000. The leaders said according to the 7th Central Pay Commission recommendations, the Centre has asked all state governments to raise the stipend from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000. "The government has neither implemented job reservation nor increased the pay," he alleged.

The Mizoram Departmental Officers Association also extended support to the ex-servicemen.