Regret more than anger was etched in the faces of veteran Gurkhas and their families as they marched on Parliament to demand the right to stay in the country they had been prepared to die for.

Several thousand former soldiers, their wives, children and grandchildren travelled to London from all over the country. Many were from Folkestone, Ashford and Maidstone - traditional bases of the Gurkhas.

And many were prepared to make a personal sacrifice - they gave back their long-service medals to be returned to the Queen of the country they had served.

Shobh Raj Gurung said: "What is the point of wearing my medal if it does not mean anything? It is a symbol of my service but if I am only getting a percentage of my pension then there is no point in keeping it."

There was a great sadness that the step had to be taken. Gopal Giri , from Folkestone, said: "This is the saddest day of my life. It is the biggest disappointment. Because we were loyal for 15 years they gave us the medal but they did not count our service before 1997 as full years. I hope they listen now."

Those who retired before 1997 does not enjoy the right to British citizenship, and for those who retired after 1997 the years they served before that date count as quarter-years in pension terms.

The Gurkhas feel these issues have split them into a two-tier society. Soldiers from other Commonwealth countries get the right to citizenship after four years irrespective of when they retire.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg collected the medals and took them into the House of Commons where he questioned Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Mr Clegg said: "Two hours ago a retired Gurkha soldier handed over this medal to me in protest at the Government’s refusal to grant him British citizenship. Does the Prime Minister know what it means for a loyal British soldier to give up a medal that he won for his long years of service to this country?

"Can he explain to the Gurkhas why on earth he believes that Gurkhas who have served in the Army after 1997 are worthy of British citizenship, but those who served before that date should be deported?"

Mr Brown's response was not hopeful. He said: "We are the first Government to have given Gurkhas the right to a pension, for those serving after 1997. We are the first to have given equal pay to the Gurkhas.

"We are the first to have dealt with the problems of married accommodation, and we are the first to say that after four years in the Army they will have the right to residence in this country. Those are changes that we have brought about.

"Why is the date 1997? It is the date that the Gurkhas, once based in Hong Kong, moved to be based in Britain. That is why we are honouring the promises that we made for the period after 1997."

Museum display dedicated to Gurkha community Ashford Museum will devote its main display to the town's Nepalese community. The Royal Gurkha Rifles moved to Shorncliffe Barracks in Folkestone in 2000 and many of the families have set up home in Ashford.

To launch the exhibition on Saturday, March 29, at 10am there will be a display in Ashford Churchyard, near the museum entrance, with a Gurkha piper and young Nepalese dancers in national dress.