Monday, March 22, 2010

Press Release: Ex-Servicemen Rally at Mysore on Wednesday, 17 March 2010

From: Colonelrajan Srinivas
Sent: 18 March 2010 21:37
To: DELETED
Subject: Press Release: Ex-Servicemen Rally at Mysore on Wednesday, 17 March 2010

PRESS RELEASE

EX-SERVICEMEN RALLY
AT SQN LDR DEVAIAH BHAVAN, MYSORE
WEDNESDAY, 17 MARCH 2010

1. An EX-SERVICEMEN RALLY was held at SQN LDR DEVAIAH BHAVAN, MYSORE,on WEDNESDAY, 17 March 2010; where at, 53 distinquished Ex-Servicemen led by Veterans Maj.Gen C.K.Karumbaya, Maj.Gen K.K.Murthy, Gp.Capt S.Rajagopal, Cdr.P.Lakshman, and few wives of Exservicemen in support, signed in BLOOD, a Memorandum addressed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, in support of their demand for grant of MILITARY PENSION by way of "ONE RANK, ONE PENSION".

2. ‘One Rank One Pension’ implies that uniform pension be paid to Armed Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.

3. The Ex-Servicemen in their Memorandum addressed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister have requested convening of a JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE [JPC] by 15 Apr 2010, to study the subject matter in its entirety and submit its Report within sixty days (ie. by 15 Jun 2010).

4. Veteran Sunil Rao,Convenor of IESM.,Mysore, said that the Memorandum is being signed by Ex-Servicemen in their own BLOOD, to impress upon the Hon’ble Prime Minister to request him to initiate immediate steps to ameliorate their problems of Pension and Re-settlement. The Ex-Servicemen in their Memorandum addressed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister have clearly stated that that in case their request for amelioration of our problems relating to Pension and Resettlement are not suitably addressed, the Ex-Servicemen, all over the Country, will be forced to further intensify their struggle; and the next and final step would be to launch a nation wide Satyagraha, undertaking
FAST UNTO DEATH, commencing on 02 Oct 2010.

Sunil Rao.
Convener
IESM.,Mysore.
9036825380.
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--- On Tue, 16/3/10, J Sukumar wrote:

From: J Sukumar
Subject: [MilitaryVeterans] Fwd: FW: IESM
To: MilitaryVeterans@yahoogroups.com
Cc: "Colonelrajan Srinivas"
Date: Tuesday, 16 March, 2010, 9:46 PM

PRESS REPORTS

EX-SERVICEMEN RALLY AT BANGALORE ON SUNDAY, 14 MARCH 2010
BANGALORE MONDAY MARCH 2010
http://epaper. timesofindia. com/Daily/ skins/TOINEW/ navigator. asp?Daily= TOIBG&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&AW=1268650812546

EX-SERVICEMEN DRAW FIRST BLOOD

They Sign Memorandum with ‘Body Ink’ For Better Pension

WE WANT JUSTICE: Ex-servicemen intensify their movement for ‘one rank one pension’ by signing a memorandum with blood in Bangalore on Sunday. The protests were held across the country

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Last year, they gave away their bravery medals and this year, they signed with blood.

Ex-servicemen from across the country intensified their movement for ‘one rank one pension’ in the form of rallies and signing a memorandum with blood, which will be handed over to the Prime Minister.

At a rally organized in Bangalore on Sunday, over 250 Ex-Servicemen from different parts of the state gathered to protest. Similar rallies were held in Mangalore, Udupi, Karwar, Belgaum and other areas.

The memorandum will be handed over to chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday.

‘FAST UNTO DEATH’
Resentment among ex-servicemen is so high that in case their request is not accepted, they will launch a fast-unto death campaign in October. “We had no other option but to sign with blood to show how dissatisfied we are with the system. We will ensure our efforts are noticed. Both the serviceman who retired earlier and the ones leaving the force now will have medical problems. In fact, the ones who retired earlier will face more problems. But there is almost 50% difference between our pension amount. Is this justified?” asked Lt Col (retired) M A Kariappa.

“Families of soldiers live in an environment not understood by civilians. There is separation from family at an early age, education of children is affected. But a soldier serves with dignity and takes whatever the government offers to him/her. But after retirement, we feel neglected. We realize the government doesn’t respect our service. We were promised free medical treatment but we got nothing. There is hardly any encouragement to send our children to the forces,” added Col (retired) H Shenoy.

“The UPA government is in the hands of the IAS. In the wars to save the country, the heads of soldiers have rolled. How many IAS officers have laid their lives? It is time our MPs realized it is for them to legislate these things and not get misguided by IAS officers. Ex-servicemen today are a neglected lot,” said convener, IESM, South, Col SS Rajan. Many of these ex-soldiers have worked in difficult conditions, high-altitude locations, have lost friends in war and are handicapped due to injuries.

‘BUT SOLDIERS DON’T CRY’
“We haven’t served any less. We have gone to every difficult area... I had a bypass surgery, and my one kidney failed. But soldiers don’t cry,” said Brigadier J S Narasimhan, one of the senior-most officers in the group who gave up his Ati Vishisht Seva Medal last year.

“I was part of the 1971 war in West Pakistan. I have seen my colleagues die, their legs blown off by landmines. We have great attachment towards each other. But now I wonder how are people valuing the service,” complained Lt Col (retired) S N Devdas.

The ones in lower ranks, such as hawaldars, are the worst affected. Their pensions are meagre and they sometimes can’t find new jobs. This 81-year-old former Ex-Hawaldar, R Narayan, gets Rs 5,561 as pension. “I have participated in two wars. Is this enough for me to survive? My wife passed away from cancer. I don’t want to be a burden on my daughter,” he said.
toiblr.reporter@ timesgroup. com

The NewIndianExpress
BANGALORE MONDAY MARCH 2010
http://epaper. indianexpress. com/IE/IEH/ 2010/03/15/ index.shtml

Sharan Poovanna
First Published : 15 Mar 2010 08:12:46 AM IST
Last Updated : 15 Mar 2010 09:47:22 AM IST

A BATTLE FOR EQUALITY


Veteran Brig B Chandrashekar signing the Memorandum in Blood.

BANGALORE: Our soldiers dedicate their lives in fighting for our country. Now, they fighting for ‘One Rank, One Pension’ and defending the former soldiers’ interests in a rally held by the Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM) on Sunday. The former members of the various armed forces intensified their struggle for ‘One Rank, One Pension’ by signing a memorandum in their own blood to be sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Armed with meritorious service, nearly 250 ex-servicemen comprising officers, JCOs, NCOs and others vouched to continue the struggle if their demands were not met. “We will continue to fight till death,” said Colonel SS Rajan (Retd), South Zone and Karnataka State Convenor for the movement and added that ‘thyag, balidaan and qurbani’ were something that they were well versed with.

He said that ex-servicemen in Delhi also held a rally in the New Delhi and wanted to return nearly 5,000 medals from their service to the President in person but to no avail, as the President did not even meet them.

“The nation must repay its debt to the defendants of the motherland with gratitude and humility,” he said. Citing that bureaucrats were adding to the ‘impediment’, Rajan pointed out that elected representatives could ease the ‘pain and anguish’ that the ex-servicemen were made to suffer. Rajan said that army men were not even provided alternative employment after their service to the nation. Seeking a Joint Parliamentary Committee to be set up by April 15, 2010 to look into the issue, SS Rajan said that they will organise a national-level meet in the city to raise awareness and also try to garner support for the movement.
The protestors will meet Chief Minister BS Yedyurappa and ask him to forward the memorandum to the PM. “The PM has never given us an appointment,” he said. He added that he hoped that the memorandum would at least reach his office if the CM ratifies it. He said that they will follow Gandhian ways to make their point. The IESM will organise a “fast unto death satyagraha” later this year, Rajan added.

BENGALURU MONDAY MARCH 2010
http://www.dc- epaper.com/ DC/DCB/2010/ 03/15/INDEX. SHTML?ArtId= 004_018&Search=Y


An Ex-Servicemen signing the Memorandum in Blood
Ex-servicemen on Sunday gathered at the Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka to sign a memorandum in their blood demanding the implementation of the ONE RANK-ONE PENSION norm and better resettlement. The Memorandum will be sent to the Prime Minister.
“We have been requesting the government to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the subject by April 15 to study the subject matter in its entirety and submit a report in sixty days,” said Colonel SS Rajan, convenor, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), south zone and Karnataka state. The ex-servicemen have also suggested that the JPC be assisted by a group of military veterans comprising retired officers of the Army, Navy and Air Force. “We feel this is needed as they would be in a better position to analyse issues related to pay, pension and service conditions in the armed forces,” he added.
If the government does not consider their demands, the Ex-Servicemen are planning to launch a nation-wide ‘fast unto death’ from October 2 this year.

http://www.hindu. com/2010/ 03/15/stories/ 2010031561250600 .htm
BANGALORE MONDAY 15 MARCH 2010
EX-SERVICEMEN SAY IT IN BLOOD
Many sign in blood a representation seeking ‘one rank, one pension'
A large number of personnel had deposited their medals with the President last year
Seeking justice: Members of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement signing memorandum in blood in Bangalore on Sunday.
BANGALORE: Four decades ago, 65-year-old Sepoy Rajashekar B. shed his blood to defend the motherland in the 1971 war. On Sunday, he and his two brothers, who are also ex-servicemen, were among the many to sign in blood a representation to the Prime Minister for grant of military pension by way of “ONE RANK, ONE PENSION”.
A large number of ex-servicemen across all ranks took part in a campaign organised by the Indian Ex Servicemen Movement across the country. “We have shed our blood to protect the country. Now we are shedding our blood for our (Ex-Servicemen) cause. We want the Prime Minister to understand our pain and anguish,” said Mr. Rajashekar's brother Sergeant (retired) Veerabhadraiah.
Ex-servicemen from different parts of the State assembled at the War Memorial on premises of Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain. Medical personnel were removing one ml of blood from each of the ex-servicemen, who then signed the memorandum using blood.

The ex-servicemen's demand of “ONE RANK ONE PENSION” has been pending for a long time. This entails uniform pension to the personnel retiring in the same rank with same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.
As a mark of protest, a large number of personnel had deposited their medals with the President last year. “Unlike others, we (Defence personnel) retire at a young age. We need this income to maintain our families in this age of inflation. The Government has not been showing any respect to the ranks we are decorated with. A Group Captain, who retires now, gets pension of Rs. 5,000 more compared to me,” said Group Captain Bhujang, who retired in 2000.

Brigadier (retired) Chandrashekar termed as eyewash the measure announced by the Union Government in the last budget. “In the guise of addressing our issue, the government increased the pension of sepoys, who retired prior to 1996, by 15 per cent and brought them on par with those who retired in 2006. They (Government) have managed to create two groups — one who retired prior to 2006 and other who retired after 2006. There is a huge difference in the pension that the two groups get,” Brigadier (retd) Chandrashekar said.
DNA
Daily News & Analysis
Bangalore, Monday, 14 March 2010
http://epaper. dnaindia. com/dnabangalore /epapermain. aspx?queryed= 9&username=&useremailid=&parenteditioncode= 9&eddate=3%2f15% 2f2010



EX-SERVICEMEN FIGHTFOR ONE RANK ONE PENSION SCHEME WITH BLOOD

Ex-Servicemen, led by Col Rajan, staged a demonstration in the City on Sunday demanding the implementation of ‘One Rank One Pension’. Expressing their displeasure at the disparity in Pension being paid to retired personnel from Armed Forces, the protesters said that there were thousands of instances of senior officers who had retired years ago and were earning a pension lower than a Jawan who retired recently. The protesters forwarded a Memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pratibha Patilwritten in Blood, demanding the immediate implementation of a fair pension scheme

--
Regards,
Cdr C Joseph Sukumar

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