VIJAY DIWAS REPORT FROM BANGALORE by Col Rajan

From: Colonelrajan Srinivas colonelrajan44@gmail.com

Sent: Thu, 24 December, 2009 9:03:12 AM

Subject: AFTER ACTION REPORT: VIJAY DIWAS AT BANGALORE: 16 DEC 2009

AFTER ACTION REPORT

VIJAY DIWAS AT BANGALORE: 16 DEC 2009

Expression of Gratitude.
At the very outset, I wish to place on record my gratitude to Veteran Air Cmde MK Chandrsekhar and Veteran Capt Ganesh Karnik, Hon’ble Member of the Legislative Council of Karnataka, for their invaluable help, assistance & support in organizing VIJAY DIWAS at Bangalore; and, in making it a grand success. It was due to the indomitable spirit of Air Cmde MK Chandrasekhar that the statue of the Unknown Soldier, erected at Minsk Square by the British after the first World War, was shifted to the area of Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka, in time, for the Chief Minister to lay the wreath on 16 Dec. And, it was on account of Air Cmde MK Chandrasekhar speaking to the AOC-in-C Training Comd (IAF) that a contingent of 25 AF Officers & 150 Airmen in uniform came to Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka, in the morning of Vijay Diwas. The entire credit for the grand success of Vijay Diwas goes to Capt Ganesh Karnik; for it was he who was responsible in getting the Hon’ble Chief Minister to pay Homage to the Martyrs; and, also hosting of Tea & Lunch for the Ex-Servicemen, that too in the Banquet Hall of the Vidhan Soudha. It was an honour bestowed on the Ex-Servicemen. Three Cheers to Air Cmde MK Chandrasekhar. Three Cheers to Capt Ganesh Karnik. I also place on record my gratitude to Brig Parthasarathy and Wg Cdr Mohan Rao for taking pains to take photographs on Vijay Diwas and for posting them on the Net. I also wish to thank Col AJ Bhandary for his support and Sub N Balachandran, ASC, for all his help & assistance.
MINUTES OF EVENTS ON VIJAY DIWAS, 16 DECEMBER 2009
Homage to Martyrs.
Shri BS Yeddyurappa, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka arrived at Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka at 9.30 AM on 16 Dec 2009. The Hon’ble CM paid homage to Martyrs by laying a wreath; followed by Dr VS Acharya, the Hon’ble Home Minister and then Capt Ganesh Karnik, Hon’ble MLC. The gathering at the Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka comprised 25 Officers & 150 Jawans of the Army, 25 AF Officers & 150 Airmen, 100 school children belonging to Army School & Bangalore Military School, 60 NCC cadets of the Senior Div Boys, Girls, Air and Naval wings; and 250 retired Officers & men. 88 years of age, Lt Col S Nagasundaram was the oldest veteran present at the Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka and the Hon’ble CM was pleased to shake hands with the senior veteran. The Memorial Service paying Homage to the Martyrs was led by Veteran Air Marshal DG Kinglee, PVSM, AVSM.
Address by the Hon’ble Home Minister of Karnataka at the Banquet Hall in Vidhan Soudha.
After paying homage to the Martyrs, Ex-Servicemen marched to the Vidhan Soudha, where they were warmly welcomed and given a cup of Tea in the Banquet Hall, a rare honour. After Tea, Dr VS Acharya, the Hon’ble Home Minister of Karnataka expressed his happiness at being present amidst Ex-Servicemen and recalled the services rendered by the Armed Forces and paid tributes to Martyrs who laid down their lives for the sake of the Nation in the various wars fought after Independence. He assured the Ex-Servicemen of all help & assistance with regard to their welfare & well-being. The Home Minister went on to add that henceforth, VIJAY DIWAS would be celebrated every year, in grand style, under the aegis of the Govt of Karnataka and that Director Sainik Welfare Dept would be responsible for organizing the same. The Home Minister also went on to say that suitable instructions would soon be issued to all Dist Collectors to erect War Memorials in all Dist; and that, Dist Collectors would be asked to pay homage to Martyrs on Vijay Diwas and also host lunch for Ex-Servicemen in their respective Dist. The Home Minister expressed his happiness over the coming of Ex-Servicemen from the neighbouring states, viz. Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Andhra and inaugurated the Ex-Servicemen Meet.
Ex-Servicemen Meet.
Col Rajan, the IESM Convenor South Zone and Karnataka, delivered the opening address and he welcomed all Ex-Servicemen to the Meet. He made it a point to thank Maj Gen AJB Jaini, Member IESM Core Group & Member IESM Governing Body, who had come from Delhi to attend the Meet. Col Rajan also thanked & expressed his gratitude to IESM Convenors representing Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, who were gracious to come and participate in the Meet.
The following Veterans then spoke:
(a) Capt Ganesh Karnik, Hon’ble MLC
(b) Maj Gen AJB Jaini, Member IESM Core Group & Member IESM Governing Body.
(c) Brig S Sivaraman
(d) Cdr Vaidhyanathan, IESM Convenor Trichy Dist, Tamil Nadu.
(e) Col Arasu, IESM Dy Convenor Tanjavoor Dist, Tamil Nadu.
(f) Lt Cdr Mayil Vahanan, IESM Convenor Tanjavoor City, Tamil Nadu.
(g) Wg Cdr Dr Sabhaney
(h) Col Arun Malhotra
(i) Maj Gen MC Nanjappa, AVSM**, YSM
(j) Col CM Uthaiah, Director Sainik Welafare Dept. Karnataka.
(k) Veteran Sub Periaswamy from Perambalur, Tamil Nadu.
(l) Veteran Nk Subbarayudu of Ejipura, Bangalore
(m) Major Hegde
(n) Capt Seshadri
(o) Brig DK Gunjal
(p) Col Ashok Kumar, Dy Convenor, Andhra Pradesh.
(q) Air Cmde Dr SP Deshmukh
(r) Major Ravindran, Convenor Palakkad Dist, Kerala
(s) Major Rajan, IESM Convenor Kolar Dist, Karnataka
(t) Col SS Rajan, IESM Convenor South Zone and Karnataka.
The talk on IESM and its aims & objectives and the ongoing Movement to secure ONE RANK, ONE PENSION for Ex-Servicemen, by Maj Gen AJB Jaini was greatly appreciated by one & all.
Ex-Servicemen were then invited for lunch, very kindly hosted by the Govt. of Karnataka, in the Banquet Hall of Vidhan Soudha.
After lunch, Col Rajan, the IESM Convenor South Zone and Karnataka, informed the august gathering that in order to boost the present membership level of IESM, which stood at a meager 4000, the Governing Body of IESM, at his request, has drastically reduced the Mebership Fees viz. Officers: from Rs. 500 down to Rs. 100; JCOs: from Rs. 200 down to Rs. 40; and NCOs & Sepoys: from Rs. 100 down to only Rs.10. and that these concessional rates would be applicable for only one month: 16 Dec 2009 to 15 Jan 2010. At that point, Maj Gen AJB Jaini, Member IESM Core Group & Member IESM Governing Body, stood up and informed the House that the reduction had come about at the persistent insistence of Col Rajan, despite the fact that the majority of the members of the Governing body were not in favour of any reduction. The reduction was agreed to as the Governing Body holds Col Rajan in high esteem and also considering the excellent response to the IESM activities from Karnataka. Maj Gen AJB Jaini and Col Rajan then urged one & all to go all out to increase membership of IESM by undertaking membership drives in all cities, towns & districts, especially in view of drastic reduction in Membership Fees. Col Rajan appealed to the retired Officers to join the IESM in large numbers; as, of date, only 200 retired officers were members of IESM out of the 2000 retired officers settled at Bangalore, despite the fact IESM membership forms were dispatched to each one of them by post.
Col Rajan then recapitulated various proactive activities undertaken by the IESM during the course of last year & a half. The august gathering was then told that it was on account of IESM and its proactive approach, viz. Fast for Justice, March for Justice and Depositing of Medals by Ex-Servicemen that OROP has been brought centre stage. However these activities can not be carried on and on. Considering the fact that it would be two years in Apr 2010 since commencement of proactive activities, the time has come to force the issue and stronger methods are required to be undertaken by the Ex-Servicemen community. Being Ex-Servicemen we can not chuck stones, we can not indulge in burning buses, we can not indulge in rasta roko, we can not indulge in rail roko. Then what options do we have? It was then said that we shall recommend to HQ IESM, undertaking of a FAST FOR JUSTICE from 9 AM to 5 PM on 30 Jan 2010, all over the Country. It was also stated that IESM is presently at the Cross Roads and that the Movement calls for Tyaag, Balidaan & Kurbaani; and that on 30 Jan 2009, IESM should issue a NOTICE to the Central Govt that Ex-Servicemen all over the Country, shall commence FAST UNTO DEATH wef 2 Oct 2010. Major Raveendran, IESM Convenor Palakkad, Kerala, demurred and said that such Gandhian methods will not work; and pointed out the example of Irom Sharmila, the iconic 36-year-old Manipuri woman, who has spent the best part of almost 10 years being force fed against her will. She has undertaken a fast-unto-death demanding the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Concluding Talk.
The concluding talk was deliverd by Capt Ganesh Karnik, who thanked all Ex-Servicemen for having accepted the invitation for Lunch and for having participated in a very fruitful discussion.
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