Petition to the President of India by Dr. M S Randhawa and Capt C S Sidhu of 5 Para

Dear Vijai,
I am attaching the Petition which has been submitted by our learned well wisher Dr. M S Randhawa and Capt C S Sidhu of 5 Para to the President of India for your kind perusal.
Please ask your staff to place before you the interviews on the subject which appeared in the Tribune as well the Hindustan Times of 21 June which are self speaking.
All efforts are on to do whatever possible at our level to save whatever is left of us by the unscrupulous Politicians and the Selfish National populace.
Wishing you the very best.

Yours

Col Kulbir Singh
M - 9855197417

From: ms.randhawa@hotmail.com
To: presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
Subject: CITIZENS’ PETITION UNDER ARTICLE 350 ON SOLDIERS' DEMANDS
Date: Sun, 23 May 2010 19:44:37 +0530
CITIZENS’ PETITION
UNDER ARTICLE 350 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
TO
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
FOR
SENDING MESSAGE TO PARLIAMENT
UNDER ARTICLE 86 OF
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
………………………………….

HER EXCELLANCY PRESIDENT OF INDIA
RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN
NEW DELHI

PETITIONERS
Dr. Manjit Singh Randhawa s/o S. Parmohinder Singh Randhawa, Indian Citizen, resident of 3-Bindra Colony, Tripuri Road Patiala, Punjab, India.
(Patron, Punjab Civil Medical Services Association)
2. Capt. Chanan Singh Sidhu (Retd.) s/o S. Summa Singh, Indian Citizen, resident of Sidhu Farm House, VPO Mullanpur Garib, Distt, Mohali, Punjab, India.
(Chief Spokesperson of All India Defense Brotherhood)
(Both Co-Conveners of Joint Panel of Citizens and Soldiers)

PETITION UNDER ARTICLE 350
FOR ISSUANCE OF MESSAGE TO PARLIAMENT
UNDER ARTICLE 86 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA,
TO DISCUSS AND RESOLVE FORTHWITH,
JUST DEMANDS/GRIEVANCES OF IN-SERVICE AND EX-SERVICE
DEFENSE SOLDIERS, OFFICERS AND WIDOWS,
IN NATIONAL INTEREST, IN VEIW OF OBSERVATIONS OF
HON’BLE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

Prayer as under:
In good faith, as conscientious citizens, it is our duty to remind your good self as Constitutional Head of Indian Nation and Supreme Commander of Defense Forces, the advice of Good-Governance Genius Kautilya to King Chandragupta Maurya on duties of the government towards country’s soldiers:

"Pataliputra rests each night in peaceful comfort, O King, secure in the belief that the distant borders of Magadha are inviolate and the interiors are safe and secure, thanks only to the Mauryan Army standing vigil with naked swords and eyes peeled for action, day and night, in weather fair and foul, all eight praharas (round the clock), quite unmindful of personal discomfort and hardship, all through the year, year after year.

To this man, O Rajadhiraja, you owe a debt: please, therefore, see to it, suo motu, that the soldier continuously gets his dues in every form and respect, be they his needs or his wants, for he is not likely to ask for them himself.
The day the soldier has to demand his dues will be a sad day for Magadha; for then, on that day, you will have lost all moral sanction to be King!"
That today our soldiers have not only been demanding but are agitating to get their legitimate dues. They were compelled to resort to public protests and even return their War-medals to make their voice heard to seek justice.

That in spite of years of relentless struggle they could not move an insensitive Union Government, as is evident from recent announcements by the Defense Minister on the issue.

That to caution the Indian Nation not to forget: “Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan” to repent the inevitable consequences.

That history stands testimony to extremely painful memories that the Indian Nation suffered humiliation and slavery of Moguls and British for centuries as its fighting forces stood neglected and weakened in peace times.

That “neglect leads to demoralization”. Unfortunately, short-sighted governments of our beloved motherland have so neglected the brave soldiers that “termites of demoralization have already crept in the defense force that may erode its very foundation if not taken care in time”, observed a decorated senior Ex-Army officer who has his son, daughter and son in law, all serving army officers.

That there are eye-openers, where the soldiers committed suicides and prematurely left defense services to join private sector assignments. Fact remains that best talent is not coming forward to join defense services and our army is short of 14000 officers, leaving aside navy and air-force.

That we can not afford to neglect our soldiers when we need them most, in face of extremely serious internal and external security threats to our beloved motherland, from Global Terrorist Groups, Naxalite insurgency, Taliban and hostile neighboring countries like China and Pakistan.

That Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in its milestone judgment delivered on 31 March, 2010, by Hon’ble Judge(s) Markandev Katju, A.K. Patnaik in Civil Appeal 4474 of 2005, Union Government v/s Capt. C.S. Sidhu observed:

“Before parting with this case, we regret to say that the army officers and army men in our country are being treated in a shabby manner by the government. In this case, the respondent, who was posted at a high altitude field area and met with an accident during discharge of his duties, was granted a meager pension as stated in Annexure-P3 to this appeal. This is a pittance (about Rs. 1000/- per month plus D.A.). If this is the manner in which the army personnel are treated, it can only be said that it is extremely unfortunate. The army personnel are bravely defending the country even at the cost of their lives and we feel that they should be treated in a better and more humane manner by the governmental authorities, particularly, in respect of their emoluments, pension and other benefits.”

That Hon’ble Supreme Court has taken the lid off the national shame on how we treat our soldiers, who sacrifice comforts and their lives while defending sovereignty and integrity of our country so that we all can “live and rest in peaceful comfort”.
Ironically, in our country a soldier stationed at 20,000 ft altitude at -30 C is paid even less than a bank peon. There are no job-guarantees for ex-servicemen, Chief of Army staff stands degraded in protocol from 5th to 24th position, and widows of army-men are left to fend for themselves being denied job security available in civil services.
That in national interest and in the interest of justice, whole Nation eagerly awaits your personal intervention, as supreme commander of the forces, to clean the blot on Indian Nation of neglecting its brave soldiers.
That we the citizens of India are ready to bear any exclusive surcharge or tax to give army-men their dues without further delay.
It is requested that both houses of Parliament of India may kindly be sent a message from President of India under Article 86 of the Constitution of India, to consider and resolve all pending demands/grievances of soldiers, officers and widows including ‘One Rank-One Pension’, Separate Pay Commission for Armed Forces, Job Security to Soldiers up to 60 years of age and rehabilitation of army widows, besides Restoration of protocol fifth position to Chief of Army Staff.


PETITIONERS


(Dr. Manjit Singh Randhawa)


(Capt. Chanan Singh Sidhu Retd.)