Jhunjhunu rally after thoug​hts

Dear Kamboj Sir,

I wish to write in response to the email written by Gen Secy, IESL about the Jhunjhunu Rally Sitrep.

It is rather amusing how you deal with something like this. When you have to defend an absolute truth, something that occurred in front of fifteen hundred people. I shall, however, begin nevertheless.

So IESL is the river and everything else is a nallah/tributary? Fair enough. Even if I agree to it for a moment, one needs to take one step back and think why o why were the nallahs needed if the river was able to quench everyone's thirst? This so called river left ESM across the country high and dry. Empty words, false promises, personal agendas and what not. And that is why concerned ESM said, to hell with it, we'll just help ourselves. And that is how IESM was born.

But that story, of course, has been told by many, many times. And I do not expect 'the river' to understand or appreciate it.

What is most amusing is the fact that the 'size' of the organization is always a centre point of the discussions. Shouldn't 'what we have done and what we want to get done for ESM' be the centre point of our discussion? I do not remember anyone from IESM talking about our size or how magnanimous we have become. Although we are always found talking about what our plans are, our goals our forthcoming endeavours and how we plan to bring about a positive change in every ESM's life in the country.

I would very much appreciate if, instead of their size and strength, the other ESM Organizations would talk about what they are doing for OROP, enhancing the AFT vested powers, the Rank Pay cases, the Petition Committee, Widows Pension, ECHS related problems and the list is endless. Why would they not talk about the real issues that affect real ESM and their families? IESM would be the first organization to congratulate them if they can really get any of these issues sorted.

And for the lies that have been mentioned in the email, I might as well not go there! Brig. Kartar Singh was with us, travelled with us and all along we were discussing matters concerning the welfare and unity of ESM. With respectable, honourable veterans like him, we can hope for a future where all ESM organizations can be one and would together work towards the betterment of ESM. Surely we must realize sooner than later, that in the larger good for the ESM community lays our own good. There is no other way to it really. And while there were actually more than fifteen hundred attendees at the rally (you can actually count more than half in the photos itself),we do not care if there were five hundred or even five. If we were able to give them hope, strength and assurance that we are watching their back - I say it’s a job well done.

So this is my appeal, my request to IESM, IESL and every other ESM organization my voice is reaching out to -- our efforts, our actions and our policies must be targeted towards reaching out to and for the welfare of that retired soldier living in an unknown village, living an unknown life, unknown to what his life could be if the powers that be recognized that he too exists... Our name matters not, the name of our organization matters not, what maters is the positive trail we leave behind us.

Good luck, God bless and Godspeed...

Kameshwar


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Kameshwar Pandey
Sub/Maj Hony. Lt. (Veteran)

Governing Body Member
Indian ESM Movement

Resi: 230, Pocket-1,
DDA SFS Flats, Sector-1,