NDTV...Views of Wg Cdr MG Kapoor

From: MG Kapoor [mailto:mgkapoor.1962@gmail.com]
Sent: 12 September 2010 12:20
To: Kamboj Chander
Subject: Re: OROP PROGRAMME ON NDTV 24X7, SUNDAY 12 SEP AT 2000 HRS - "REPORT MY SIGNAL" - EMAIL 437/2010 - (H to Z-1) - 11 SEP 2010 (USA CT)

Dear Kamboj Sir,

I watched the TV telecast on OROP. I am sorry but enough homework was not done by those representing and propagating OROP; perhaps there was no compession as they were not that affected. Lt Gen Kadyan was ill-prepared to answer a very valid question. Gen Oberoi was better but still did not show compassion. The best was Mr. Rajiv Chandrershekhar (I hope I have correctly named him - being the person being interviwed on television) in advocating our case for OROP.

I fail to understand that whereas there was participation by Lt Generals as also a Havildar, Major Generals as also middle ranking officers were conspicuous by their absence. If, say for example Major Generals had been represented by Maj Gen Satbir Singh or Maj Gen Suri carrying on fight for Maj Generals on behalf of Maj Generals they would have countered the question of Ms. Indu Liberhan, representing "BABUS", that "Secretaries and Lt Generals" were getting OROP because there was only one scale of pay for them by citing S.S. Vains case decided by the Apex Court favouring OROP.

The selection of Havilldar was poor in as much as they selected a Havildar who after discharge was able to find a job as a clerk, which is rather rare. Most of the ex-servicemen retired as sepoys, NCOs or JCOs hardly are able to find placement after discharge and selecting some such representatives would have shown more compession to our case.

Lt General Kadyan's rhetoric "it is not for money but honour thaat we are fioghting for" remained a rhetoric; not fighting favour with audience. He should have been frank and stated it is for the differential in pension that is hitting.

Then the statement "we have not surrendered medals but have simply deposited them" was uncalled for. It showed as if the surrender of medals was a gimmick.

Enough lobbying was not done with Barkha Dutt it appears. Or was it that the 'Babus' or that son nof a gun some Capt Davar did the lobbying?

Further we mixed up the issues by bringing in Capt Sidhu's compassionate case that sidetracked the main issue.

With kind regards,

MG