ESM Advisory by Col SS Rajan , Bangalore

KARNATAKA EX SERVICEMEN FORUM

AN APPEAL TO EX-SERVICEMEN, THEIR FAMILIES & THEIR FRIENDS

VOTE FOR BJP
Considering the fact that BJP headed by Shri LK Advani has openly come out in support of Ex-Servicemen and committed themselves to the grant of ONE RANK, ONE PENSION and other concessions relating to welfare & re-settlement of Ex-Servicemen, in their Manifesto; and considering our stated stand that WE shall extend our support & vote for only that party or individual, who supports OUR cause; the KARNATAKA EX-SERVICEMEN FORUM hereby endorses Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming parliamentary elections
EX SERVICEMEN’ BATTLE CRY
Faujiyon ka Vote siraf unko milega, jo Faujiyon ka Maan aur Maryaada rakhega
Faujiyon ka Vote siraf unko milega, jo Faujiyon ko ONE RANK, ONE PENSION dilwayaga

BJP’s CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEFENCE SERVICES
Sanctioning of Married Accommodation Projects (MAPs). Considering the acute shortage of married accommodations for the Defence Services personnel, especially for the JCOs, NCOs & Sepoys (and their equivalents in the Navy and Air Force ), the Directorate General (DG) Married Accommodation Projects (MAPs) was setup in 2003; and, construction of 2 lakh dwelling units was sanctioned at a cost of Rs 18,000 cores, to be completed in four phases by the year 2015. The first phase for construction of 60,000 dwelling units is nearing completion.
ECHS. Considering the urgent requirement of providing proper medical care and treatment to lakhs of Ex Servicemen and their families, spread all over the country, ECHS was sanctioned in 2002.
Increased Promotional prospects. In 2003, the then NDA Govt. headed by the BJP, announced massive structural changes in promotions of Service personnel and for grant of Honorary rank of Naik, Havildar, Naib Subedar, Subedar and Sub Major benefitting lakhs of JCOs NCOs and Sepoys (and their equivalents in the Navy & Air Force) who retire year after year.
Increase in allowances. Considering the hardships faced by the Armed Forces personnel deployed in High altitude area and the Snow bound Siachen Glacier, it was the BJP heading the NDA regime which granted considerable increase in High Altitude Allowance (HAA) and Siachen allowance.
Honouring of Martyrs. It was during the NDA regime headed by the BJP that bodies of soldiers martyred during the Kargil conflict, were flown to their respective towns and villages and accorded Military funerals, thus honouring the soldiers for their supreme sacrifice to their mother land.
IN COMPARISON WHAT HAS THE CONGRESS DONE?
The recommendations of the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) has been highly discriminatory, devaluing & debasing the Izzat of soldiers. The 6th CPC had recommended grant of only Rs. 1000/- as Military Service Pay (MSP) to the JCOs, NCOs & Sepoys of the Army (and their equivalents in the Navy & Air Force); and when the three Service Chiefs pointed out to the Government that Rs 1000/- granted as MSP was grossly inadequate and recommended grant of Rs 3000/- as MSP, the UPA Government headed by the Congress sanctioned only Rs 2000/- as MSP. Indeed a shame that the UPA Govt. treats its soldiers with such disdain.
In Nov 2003, Madam Sonia Gandhi, the head of the congress party, addressed a huge Ex Servicemen rally at Chandigarh, wherein she promised that grant of ONE RANK, ONE PENSION wound be favourably considered in case Congress was voted to power in 2004. But, what did they do? The UPA Govt. headed by the Congress rejected the grant of ONE RANK, ONE PENSION and thus betrayed the Ex Servicemen.
Congress ne 2004 mein vaadha kiya thaa ki, ONE RANK, ONE PENSION denge. Par kiya kya? Faujiyon ke saath DHOKAA aur Faujiyon kaa APMAAN.
WHY ONE RANK, ONE PENSION.
Military Service is UNIQUE, with a highly demanding 24 by 7 work culture under hostile environments; and, Military Service is the only Service wherein a Jawan is bundled out at the young age of 35, when he has a wife, two small children, unmarried sisters & his parents to be taken care of; without the STATE bothering to give him an alternative employment. It is absolutely callous. A young man who joins service in civil as a LDC or a Police constable; serves comfortably till the age of 60 years and retires in a much higher position with a good amount as pay & pension. Not so in the case of a Jawan. 85% of the Sepoys retire as Sepoys only after 15 years service. Most civilians who retire at 60, would live to see only one Pay Commission after retirement, considering their longevity to be 70-75 years and a few, two pay commissions; but a Sepoy would live to see nothing less than four Pay Commissions after retirement. It is the older pensioners of the Army, Navy & Air Force who are the worst sufferers. It is not only the serving soldier that the STATE is duty bound to take care of; but also the Ex Servicemen who have sacrificed their youth in service of the Nation with no other thought but DUTY, HONOUR and COUNTRY.
The callousness and insensitivity of UPA Govt. headed by the Congress in not granting ONE RANK, ONE PENSION, has forced the Ex Servicemen all over the country to MARCH FOR JUSTICE & FAST FOR JUSTICE and deposit their Medals with Her Excellency the President of India, to express their pain & anguish brought about by years of neglect & apathy by the Central Govt. What a shame. A civilian passerby rightly remarked, “Faujion kaa sadak par aanaa, Desh kaa durbhaagya hai”. (Ex Servicemen being forced to take to the streets, is indeed a tragedy for the Nation). The unfair treatment being meted out to the Ex Servicemen is not lost on the serving soldier, either; for one can hear them say, “Aaj unke saath, kal hamaare saath”. But who cares? Definitely not the politicians in power.
God and the Soldier, We Adore. In times of danger, Not before.
The danger Past and all things Righted, God is forgotten and the Soldier Slighted.
Rudyard Kipling.
BJP’s MANIFESTO
The BJP is committed to the following measures:-
a. The pending issues of pay and privileges of Service personnel will be revisited and resolved to the satisfaction of the Defence forces.
b. The modalities for setting up a separate Pay Commission for the forces will be expedited.
c. All personnel of the Army, Air Force and Navy, as also paramilitary
forces, will be exempt from paying income tax on their salaries and
perquisites.
d. The honorarium for winners of gallantry awards like Pram Vir Chakra,
which is abysmally low at Rs 500 to Rs 3,000, will be increased ten-fold to Rs 5,000 to Rs 30,000. This will be done with retrospective effect; the
Honorarium will be taxfree.
e. The principle of ONE RANK, ONE PENSION, will be implemented.
f. Incentive-based steps will be taken to make joining the Defence
Services an exciting proposition for young men and women to overcome the shortage of officers.
g. Incentives will be offered to State Governments for ensuring
honourable settlement of retired personnel of the Defence services.
NOW YOU DECIDE FOR WHOM TO VOTE
Are you going to vote for Dhokebaaz Congress or Vote for Fauji friendly BJP
VOTE FOR BJP
Ex Servicemen’ “bhalaai” ie. interest lies in Voting for BJP
Victory for BJP is Victory for Ex Servicemen
A vote for BJP is a vote for strong India,
Prosperous India and a Safe & Secure India
GOD HELPS THOSE, WHO HELP THEMSELVES

Veteran Colonel SS Rajan, State Convenor, Karnataka Ex Servicemen Forum.