New Delhi, May 9: They are fighting from Kashmir to Chhattisgarh but when it comes to fighting for their own rights, India’s paramilitary troops would rather leave it to their retired seniors.

Instead of, that is, their own bosses who are from the IPS and allegedly balk at conveying troops’ grievances to the government because of a conflict of interests.

Since the 7 lakh-odd paramilitary personnel are not allowed to form associations, their retired officers have now decided to battle it out for their “boys”.

An All India Ex-Paramilitary Personnel Association team today met Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta to air the troops’ demands and grievances.

The paramilitary’s problem has been that the top positions of director-general (DG) and additional DG — and most inspector-general (IG) and deputy inspector-general (DIG) ranks — are occupied by IPS officers.

“The IPS officers don’t want the rank adjustments suggested by the Sixth Pay Commission (which asked for all DIG posts, and half of IG and above, to be reserved for cadre officers),” said C. Pal Singh, adviser to the association.

Recently, the central IPS officers’ association submitted its demands to the Centre but it was essentially about what they did not get compared with IAS officers.

The home ministry last week prepared a plan to upgrade some paramilitary allowances but the forces’ biggest grouse is not having their voice heard.

From 2001 to 2006, the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal and Assam Rifles lost 6,181 personnel on duty and saw 1,113 disabled.

“After all, we don’t get peace postings like the army,” Singh, a former IG, said. Stress has led to increasing heart and psychological disorders as well as “fragging” (shooting a colleague or officer).

The retired officers themselves are unhappy with their pension scheme. Yet when the association framed its demands, the veterans placed their own behind those of the serving personnel relating to hardship allowance, career progression and a grievance redress mechanism headed by cadre officers.

They hope that since the IPS and IAS lobbies are at loggerheads, the bureaucrats may back the paramilitary.