IESM

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

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
They Sign Memorandum with ‘Body Ink’ For Better Pension

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

Mail from bangalore

Hi Col Rajan,
We are simply proud of all those who participated in this selfless venture. As the saying goes "one who ventures Conquers" Your motivation has made us achieve a lot in Trivandrum by way of publicity.Today I am sending the signed copies to Sqn Ldr Gandhi.I need an ack from you for having received my mail yesterday.Col RP Gopalan,Col Jayashanker
Sqn Ldr G R Nair,Maj Vipin, Flg offr NGNair,Sub Maj Mohan kumar and many others made our effort possible.
Jai Hind and Pranamam.RGNAIR

Mail By Veteran Col RG Nair

Hi COL,
Thanks for appreciating the effort of my group consisting N.C- Officers,J-Commissioned officers and a few of us commissioned officers.All credit to Hon Lt Satheesan,Hon Lt Mohan kumar,Sub Balachandran,COL GOPAL,COL JAYASHANKER 74 years old. There were 50 odd guys.All due to your motivation goodshow keep it up.
Jai Hind RGNair

From: Gopinathan Nair
Date: 15 March 2010 00:25
Subject: Afteraction Report of Veteran Ralley at Trivandrum
To: vkgandhi@yahoo.com
Cc: Colonelrajan Srinivas , rpchaturvedi@gmail.com

Dear Veterans,
We have got together and decided to have a press conference on 13th and the same was attended by the following
Col RG Nair(Retd)COL RP Gopala(Retd),Col Jayasanker(Retd),Flg Offr NGNair,Sub Maj Mohan Kumar and Sub Balachandran attended.
Matrubhoomi a leading Malayalam Paper wrote well about us on 14th march copy attached.ACV a local News Chanel telecasted well as per what we spoke at 7pm,930 pm and 10 30 pm.
On 14 at 1600 hrs 50 odd veterans got together at the War Memorial in the City placed a wreath and paid Floral tribute and signed our Memorandum as downloaded from the net.
On 15th march HINDU, NEW INDIANEXPRESS, MATHRUBHOOMI, MALAYALAMANORAMA AND kERALA kAUMADI covered the event in great details with pictures and the same is being sent as attachments. The paper cuttings and signed memorandum is send by post.
Even the Delhi event is covered in Hindu today.With Regards and good luck Veteran RGNair

Mail by Maj gen AJB Jaini

THANX a Million, Raman
U have done 'yeoman's' service to the ESM & the IESM Movement.
No amount of wordsw can compensat for the tireless efforts that U have put in over the past yrs, in this regard.
CONGRATULATIONS, Sir, for all the successes achieved so far. YOU are an integral part of it.

Regards
Gen Jaini
9810180189

Ex-servicemen draw first blood

Ex-servicemen draw first blood

Ex-servicemen draw first blood

TNN, Mar 15, 2010, 06.11am IST
BANGALORE: Last year, they gave away their bravery medals and this year, they signed in 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 sent to the Prime Minister.

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

The 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 in 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 retiring now will have medical problems. In fact, the ones who had retired earlier will have more problems. But there is almost a 50% difference between our pension amount. Is it 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, and a soldier serves with dignity and takes whatever the government offers to them. 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 realize 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. The memorandum signed in blood will be handed over to chief minister B S Yedyurappa on Thursday.

Many of these ex-soldiers have worked in difficult conditions, high-altitude locations, and have lost friends in war and are handicapped due to battle injuries.

"We haven't served any less. We have gone to every difficult area... I had a bypass surgery, and my one kidney had failed. But soldiers don't cry," said Brigadier J S Narasimhan, one of the senior-most officers in the group, who had given up his Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) last year.

"I was part of the 1971 war in West Pakistan. I have seen my colleagues die, their legs blown off by land mines. We have great attachment with 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 the hawaldars, are the worst-affected. Their pensions are meagre and they sometimes can't find new jobs. This 81-year-old ex-hawaldar R Narayan gets Rs 5,561 as pension. "I have participated in two wars. Is this enough pension for me to survive? My wife passed away due to cancer. I don't want to be a burden on my daughter," he said.
Ex-servicemen draw first blood

Dainik Jagran ..15 march New Delhi

Monday, March 15, 2010

Bangalore telecast Live by Head Lines

From: ramantn sarma colram40@yahoo.com
Sent: 14 March 2010 21:59
To: DELETED
Subject: Re: [indianveterans] ESM sitrep 14 Mar evening

Dear Veterans,

I watched the grand show put up at Bengaluru, by Col S Rajan & the IESM. It was telecast by Head Lines today. Congratulations !!

Veteran Raman

Pre-Mature Retirees are in for a rude shock by Maj gen Surjit singh

Dear friends,
It has just been brought to my notice, that the government has RETROSPECTIVELY abolished the five-year 'weightage' granted to those who retire with less than 33 years service.
I learnt this from the case of a Colonel who retired after 27 years service in Apr 2006. The sequence of events makes pathetic reading. Here is how it goes:

The revised PPO issued in Jun 2009 granted a sum of Rs 9,50.400 as gratuity to him.

On 11 Jan 2010, the CDA issued a fresh corrigenda LOWERING the above amount to 8,01,900. The officer has been advised that the 'excess, amount viz Rs 1,48,500' would be deducted from the pension payable to him at the rate of one-third of the nett amount payable to him.

No reason is assigned for the above deduction in the communication from the CDA. However, when I approached the authorities, I was informed that "since the 33 year conditionality has been withdrawn, the 'weightage' has been abolished by the government."
The question which comes to my mind is that the pension rules had been changed by the 6th Pay Commission and its report was with the govt in Mar 2008. Why did the 'system' have to wait for two whole years to make this change, and that too RETROSPECTIVELY!!!
And even if it was necessary to implement such a measure, was it not incumbent upon the CDA to give an explanatory statement or clarification in the revised pension order?
This is another case of a goof up, which will hurt the military personnel more than the civilians because we are the only ones who retire with less than 33 years service. In case of the post-2006 retirees, it shaves off two-and-half months pay, admitted tax-free for all those who retire with less than the 'standard service'
With each passing day, our faith in the quality of administrative service being rendered by our rulers receives a body blow.
Regards,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

Puzzling Maths
GOI Department of Expenditure Implementation Cell: click here
Para iv on page 19 under "Commissioned Officers" says delinking 33 years wef 01.01.2006 would increase pension by Rs 3000/- benefiting 1100 Officers? In the same para civilians with 20 to 28 years will benefit too. The total outlay for this additional expenditure to the state is Rs 4.83 crore per annum. How then is the gratuity being deducted retrospectively? If there is deduction where is the loss to the state? The Expenditure Secretary needs to enlighten us on the rationale of full gratuity for civilians with 20- 28 years service vis a vis Military Officer rendering 27 years service with reduced gratuity!

PRESS RELEASE AT Bangalore by Col Rajan

PRESS RELEASE
AFTER ACTION REPORT: EX-SERVICEMEN RALLY AT BENGALURU ON SUNDAY, 14 MARCH 2010

1. An EX-SERVICEMEN RALLY was held at Bengaluru on Sunday, 14 March 2010; whereat, 250 Ex-Servicemen led by Veteran Rear Admiral BR Vasanth, Brig JS Narasimhan, Brig Sudandiram and Brig B Chandrashekar 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. Military Service is UNIQUE, with a highly demanding 24 by 7 work culture under hostile environments; and secondly, Military Service is the only Service wherein a Jawan is bundled out at the young age of 35, when he has a wife, two small children, unmarried sisters & parents to be taken care of; without the STATE bothering to give him an alternative employment. It is absolutely callous. A young man who joins Govt. service in civil as a LDC or a Police constable; serves comfortably till the age of 60 years and retires in a much higher position with a good amount as pension. Not so in the case of a Jawan. 85% of the Sepoys retire as Sepoys only after 15 years service. Most civilians who retire at 60, would live to see only one Pay Commission after retirement, considering their longevity to be 70-75 years and may be a few, two pay commissions; but a Sepoy would live to see nothing less than four Pay Commissions after retirement. ‘ONE RANK, ONE PENSION’ is equally applicable to Officers, as bulk (85%) retire in the rank of Colonel, at the age of 54 years; thus losing out on pay for six years & enhanced pensionary benefits. It is the older pensioners of the Army, Navy & Air Force who are the worst sufferers. It is not only the serving soldier that the STATE is duty bound to take care of; but also the Veterans who have sacrificed their youth in service of the Nation with no other thought but, DUTY, HONOUR and COUNTRY.
3. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, comprising 44 eminent Members of Parliament, had in their Report to Lok Sabha on 19 Aug 2003, strongly recommended the grant of ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP) to Ex-Servicemen. Para 99 of the said Report is reproduced below:
“The Committee has been recommending grant of `ONE RANK ONE PENSION’ to the armed forces personnel time and again. The Committee observes that successive Governments and Pay Commissions have made improvements in the pension structure keeping in view the cost of living index. This has accentuated the disparity of pensionary benefits between pensioners of the same rank. The older pensioners who have become infirm in ability and capability and burdened with a larger social obligation receive pension calculated at the rate of pay at the time of their retirement in 1950s or 1960s or 1970s, which is quite paltry and the Dearness Relief quite inconsequential in today’s context of inflation and shrinking purchasing value of money. The nation must repay its debt to those Defendents of the motherland with gratitude and humility. We should, instead of, looking for precedents in this regard, create precedents for the others to emulate. Any amount paid in this regard would be small token of our gratitude to them. The Committee, therefore, once again reiterates their earlier recommendation for providing `ONE RANK ONE PENSION’ to the armed forces personnel”.

4. 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).

5. Col Rajan, the IESM Convenor said that the Memorandum is being signed by Ex-Servicemen in their own BLOOD, to impress upon the Hon’ble Prime Minister that Ex-Servicemen are indeed anguished & pained; and 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.

Regards,
Colonel Rajan
Bangalore, 9449043770
-----------------------------------------------------
EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE

I hereby thank and express my gratitude to Brig Parthasarathy for being kind to cover the event and post the photographs.

Regards,
Col Rajan
-----------
THE END

Welfare ....Defence Forces by Wg Cdr S Bendre

From: Shashank Bendre bendresr@gmail.com
Sent: 12 March 2010 11:26
To: kamboj_cs@yahoo.co.in
Cc: DELETED
Subject: Prime Minister Misguides Parliament

Sir,

On the 3rd of March 2010, in response to the query by the opposition MP Mr. L.K. Advani, no less a person than the Prime Minister of India, declared in the Lok Sabha that instructions to implement the recommendations of the committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary, formed to study OROP, had been issued. The IESM and all the veterans knew that this was not true since none of the affected veterans had received any benefits recommended by the committee. At the time, there was no concrete proof to refute the PM's statement though the IESM contradicted the PM's statement through a Press Note.

But now the cat is out of the bag. The Times of India of March 12, 2010 (and may be other newspapers too) carries a Public Notice issued by Ministry of Defence, Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare, detailing the recommendations accepted by the government. The department says that this is issued in public interest since queries continue to be received by them. But importantly, the notice also records that "By issue of Governments' letter on the recommendations on 08-03-2010, all the recommendations stand implemented."

All of us would have noticed the discrepancy of dates that the Government letter is dated four days later than the date on which the PM made the statement in the Lok Sabha. Mr. Manmohan Singh, as the Prime Minister, would not knowingly make a false statement in the Lok Sabha it being a matter of privilege, so it is apparent that he was fed with wrong information ( given Duff Gen, as we say in the services' language) by the Ministry of Defence. The question is whether the guilty person- the Secretary, Ministry of Defence-, will be punished (dismissed?) for the extremely grave offence of knowingly giving wrong information to the Prime Minister of the country? And what about the honourable Defence Minister, who leaves no opportunity of saying how much he cares for the Armed Forces? If such persons of doubtful integrity are at the helm of a ministry controlling the military forces tasked with the external security of the country, it is doubtful if India can secure its interests and territory against its foes! This matter needs to be thoroughly investigated as the all powerful Babu lobby would certainly try to sweep it under the carpet.

I am sure the will IESM issue a Press Note to point out the discrepancy and also inform Mr. Advani about the same.

Regards,
Shashank Bendre
Wg.Cdr. (Retd)

IESM in the Eyes of AFVOA by Col Raman

From: ramantn sarma colram40@yahoo.com
Sent: 14 March 2010 20:42
To: Core Group IESM; afvoa chennai; REPORT MY SIGNAL (CS Kamboj); Subramanyam VA
Cc: Satbir Singh; Raj Kadyan Lt Gen; Vinodh Gandhi
Subject: IESM in the Eyes of AFVOA

Dear Veterans,

The extract in line below is published in the Armed Forces Veteran Officers’ Association (AFVOA), Chennai, in its latest News Letter, by its Editorial Team.

There can be no difference of opinion about Gen Satbir Singh’s role as the founder & inspiration of the Indian Ex Servicemen Movement (IESM ). Our compliments to the Editorial Team of AFVOA News Letter, for the excellent coverage.

At the same time the efforts of Col S Rajan from Bangalore in formalising the concept of IESM & along with Gen Satbir giving it a shape, is equally praise worthy. The leadership & credibility was/ is, provided by Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, as the Chairman.

Coming to the Communication aspect, it was Report My Signal, under Brig Kamboj which is doing a yeoman’s Service, right from its inception. As far as South is concerned, it is carried on by Brig VA Subramanyam.

A number of Members of AFVOA had extended moral support to IESM & have also joined the Movement as Life Members. The early ones are Lt Gen Sundara Rao, the Patron & Col A Krishnaswamy, one of the Founder Members of AFVOA. And, of course, Col N Viswanathan , the most dedicated Veteran we have seen. The President , Gen KS Chattaraman has become a Member last year.

Today, Tamilnadu is leading in the number of Members enrolled for IESM. The role of District Conveners like Lt Col Jai Ram, Cdr Vaidyanathan, Lt Col T Arunagiri, Lt Cdr Rajagopal, Lt Col N Padmanabiah, Col A Sundaram & many others in spreading the Movement all over Tamilnadu is remarkable.

At the HQ, IESM has a dedicted & stead fast Governing Body, comprising stalwarts like Maj Gen Renjen, Col Kirit Joshipura, Maj Gen A Jaini, Cdr Sharan Ahuja, Wg Cdr CK Sharma, Col RP Chaturvedi, Vice Adm Barain Ghose , Gp Capt Vinodh Gandhi, Brig Harwant Singh and a few others.

Now the ESM of India has a Movement & not merely an Associaton, to further their legitimate cause. We are grateful to AFVOA, Chennai, for its coverage & continued support.

Jai Hind !!

Veteran Raman
---------

Extracts from AFVOA News Letter 2/10

On the 10th of April, 2008, at about the time the sun had set on the Western horizon off Gurgaon, Maj Gen Satbir Singh, SM, a seventh generation, 28 NDA course officer sat at his computer to compose a mail. He was a vexed man at that time. For decades he had been watching our steady down gradation vis-à-vis the politicians and the civilian bureaucracy. He lamented in public and in private conversations at the silent apathetic manner in which we of the Armed Forces took such denigration.
But the immediate cause of Gen Satbir’s ire that evening was the raw deal the Armed Forces officers, men and veterans had been handed out in the 6th Central Pay Commission Report. To him enough was enough. He decided to raise his voice.
He wrote just four, small, rousing paragraphs. He sent his call to his small mailing list of not more than two dozens; and thereby started a movement – the IESM.
Rarely can one point out an instance in history where so few words have had such a monumental, earth shaking effect on its readers. Before the night was through almost all his recipients had acknowledged his effort, pledged support and had directed the mail to all their groups. By morning he had a100 members. Today, less than two years down the line there are 10,000 members in the IESM worldwide. Considering that only veterans are eligible for membership the speed of growth of the IESM can well be considered phenomenal. The cause, Gen Satbir’s personality, the dynamic nature of his call and lurking sense of grievance among the veterans can all be said to have contributed to this rapid growth of IESM.

(Editorial Team)

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Mail from Col Baba...Gurgaon

From: Baba Tiruvalam [mailto:tnb369@hotmail.com]
Sent: 14 March 2010 20:44
To: Chander Kamboj
Subject: RE: Photos taken on 14th March at Jantar Mantar

Brig PK Nandagopal, MVC, (who attended the rally at Jantar Mantar New Delhi, on 14 Mar 10), commanded 6 Sikh LI during 1965 War and was awarded MVC in battle for Kalidhar Trig Point 3776. (Photograph attached).

The Bn also got the Battle Honour for Kalidhar 1965. The narration is as under:

The Battalion re-organized itself for the next assault on Kalidhar Trig Point 3776 despite heavy casualties and fatigue. The feature was finally cleared of the Pakistani intruders by mid-day on 5 October 1965. In this action the Battalion displayed remarkable courage, determination and self sacrifice for which one Maha Vir Chakra (Lt Col. PK Nandagopal), two Vir Chakras, four Sena Medals (two posthumous); five Mention in Despatches (three Posthumous) and one COAS's Commendation Card were awarded. The Regiment was also awarded the Battle Honour "Kalidhar 1965"The Battalion re-organized itself for the next assault on Kalidhar Trig Point 3776 despite heavy casualties and fatigue. The feature was finally cleared of the Pakistani intruders by mid-day on 5 October 1965. In this action the Battalion displayed remarkable courage, determination and self sacrifice for which one Maha Vir Chakra (Lt Col. PK Nandagopal), two Vir Chakras, four Sena Medals (two posthumous); five Mention in Despatches (three Posthumous) and one COAS's Commendation Card were awarded. The Regiment was also awarded the Battle Honour "Kalidhar 1965"

Best Regards,

Baba

Col. T N Baba (Veteran)
U 26C/11 Ground Floor, DLF City Phase III, Gurgaon - 122002
91 9899692649

Rally well attended at Jantar Mantar 14 March 2010

From: Rakesh Prasad Chaturvedi
Sent: 14 March 2010 15:56
To: DELETED
Subject: ATTENDANCE AT JANTAR MANTAR RALLY 14 MAR 2009

The IESM rally at Jantar Mantar today was well attended by approximately 2000 Ex Servicemen. Amongst others, ESM arrived from
Jhajjar, Haryana.
Gurgaon, Haryana.
Hissar, Haryana.
Bahadurgarh, Haryana.
Gazipur, UP.
Lucknow, UP.
Ludhiana, Punjab.
Tarn Taran, Punjab.
Patiala, Punjab.
Bathinda, Punjab.
Ropar, Punjab.
Barnala, Punjab.
Garh Shankar, Punjab.
Ajmer, Rajasthan.
Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
Sikar, Rajasthan.
Balia, UP.
Jalaun, UP.
Kanpur, UP.
Lucknow, UP.
Pune, Maharashtra.
Himachal Pradesh.
Meerut, UP.
Gautam Budh Nagar, UP.
Chandigarh.
Delhi and NCR towns.

With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi,
A-35, Sector 36,
Noida 201303.
Mob: +91989...
Skype: rakesh.prasad.chaturvedi

Major's Plight...

Dear Veteran Anand,
I came across your mail in Report My Signal.
I can certainly feel your anguish about the peculiar situation created for Majors, consequent to certain realignments in rank/ service structuring. We empathize with the 'class' as such, and hope some positive outcome will emerge.
Having said this, may I take this opportunity to make following points.
OROP was selected as an initial objective (we have FOUR major demands including OROP) since it has the widest applicability. A 'band' that encompasses all ranks.
Aside from the four objectives, there were numerous ancillary issues like ECHS, Canteens etc. These are being attended to by various IESM cells/ divisions. OROP therefore continues unaffected by these steps.
There have been other independent efforts by ESM, say in courts, viz 'Application of Dhanpalan vertict to ALL affected personnel', ' Maj Gen's case' and now the 'Major's case'. These are all complimntary and part of an overall 'movement' of 'rising awareness, not to take things lying down' which is THE philosophy with which IESM was formed. To that extent, we are all headed the same way. If this can be synergized with OR assisted by IESM, it would be desirable to indicate in what manner you see this being done.
Just one input. You mentioned about the 'OR enclosure'. IESM has none, in any of its rallies, confabulations etc. While your anguish is clearly understood, I thought I need to offer this input.

From: C N Anand cnanand@gmail.com
Sent: 08 March 2010 07:12
To: avtar singh
Cc: DELETED
Subject: MAJOR"S CASE

Dear all,

If the OROP comes through, it will not benefit the Majors. The Majors will be left out in the cold. This special minority will have to look after itself to avoid being drowned out. It doesn't look as though any of the retired/veterans associations have bothered to high light the case of the Majors. What ever little has been done has been done by individuals.

For the major's feeble voices to be heard, they will have to organize themselves separately and come out with a collective roar. A SEPARATE medal deposition scheme is called for.

In future when veterans are invited for an official function, the Majors should sit in the ORs enclosure, as their pension will be less than that of JCOs. In Babudom, status is determined by pay.

All retired Supreme Commanders and Secretaries enjoy OROP. ORs have been promised OROP. However, officers have been left out, and Majors have been made to feel like condoms. Can some one explain the method behind this?

Regards

Anand

Rally at bangalore..14 March 2010..Signing in Blood

Signing in Blood

A battle for equality

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.

Cdr Pathak and Brig Luktuke from Pune at Jantar Mantart Rally 14 March 2010

At Jantar Mantar New Delhi rally ...Cdr Pathak and Brig Luktuke from Pune

14 march 2010 Rally at Jantar Mantar

Brig PK Nandagopal, MVC, (who attended the rally at Jantar Mantar New Delhi, on 14 Mar 10), commanded 6 Sikh LI during 1965 War and was awarded MVC in battle for Kalidhar Trig Point 3776

Ex-servicemen hold protest, demand equal pension 14 March 2010 Jantar Mantar

REJECTING HONOUR: Ex-servicemen surrender their medals at a protest in New Delhi on Sunday.

New Delhi: Around 1,000 retired defence personnel on Sunday staged a protest here demanding “equal pension for each rank” and collected their gallantry medals for returning them to the government.
Ex-servicemen from all the three defence forces held the protest at Jantar Mantar.
They would also submit a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, one of the organisers said.
The main demand is that irrespective of the date on which a soldier retires, he or she should get the same pension.
“It is a shame for the country that soldiers have to return their gallantry awards and meritorious medals and come to the streets for redressing their grievances,” they said. — PTI

Friday, March 12, 2010

Donation 1 Lac by Brig CS Kamboj...16 NDA

To: IESM_GovBody@yahoogroups.com
From: sharansahuja@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:40:17 -0800
Subject: [IESM_GovBody] CONTRIBUTION TO IESM..of 1 lac by Brig CS Kamboj....

Dear Kamboj Sir,

We thank you from the core of the heart for doing so much for IESM cause day and night.

Without your personal devotion via RMS at the cost of your health and time IESM would not have grown so dramatically and caught the imagination of Veterans spread throught the world.

Donations pouring from far and wide and specially your 16 NDA course is very much visible to all of us.It is wonderful t be associated with you on this mission of OROP and this donation of 1 lac would go a long way in making others also come forward.

Warm Regards

Sharan

On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 10:14 PM, "REPORT MY SIGNAL" (Chander Kamboj) wrote:

12 Mar 10.

Dear CK and Vinod,
As my humble contribution, for the grand job you all are doing, I have made out a cheque for Rs 1 lakh, in favour of IESM Acct 06162000001330.
(HDFC Bank, D-1, Shopping Centre No 2,Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, cheque No 283445, date 12 Mar 10)

I will hand over the cheque and the donation form to you (or to Gen Satbir if you so say) on 13 Mar 10, before the Core Group Meeting.
You may please plan accordingly.

With my salute to All the Office Bearers of IESM.

Chander Kamboj
Copy to –All members of IESM Governing Body.

We support you..Brig Opinder Singh

Dear General, We support your efforts and are with you.

With warm regards

Brig Opinder Singh.

( mail...id...opikspm@yahoo.com./fortglobal.okay@gmail.com.
Tele Numbers...0172-3209980, 9914709980.
Add....2501/B, AWHO Flats,Sector 47/C,CHANDIGARH.)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

ECHS functioning at Chennai

From: James Kanagaraj jkraj46@gmail.com
Sent: 10 March 2010 12:29
To: kuthiala27@hotmail.com
Cc: Kamboj Chander
Subject: ECHS Chennai: Degradation of Services

Dear Brig S. Kutiala,
Ref: http://reportmysignal.blogspot.com/2010/03/echs-chennai-degradation-of-services.html
Today I visited the ECHS located in the premises of MH Chennai and observed its functioning for over 3 hours. There were in all about 200 ESM who were seated (all seats occupied), some milling around the reception and many standing near the counter dispensing medicines. There were only 2 medical officers out of 4 employed. The OIC ECHS ... edited ... has no administrative control over his staff.
The waiting period for collecting medicines in the queue system is 3 to 5 hours as confirmed by the OIC. ESM who wish to collect only medicines are also supposed to queue up for which the waiting period is 5 hours plus.
There seems to be a steady decline in the efficiency of the ECHS. The ESM who desire to get treated for their illness are literally made more sick encountering the hurdles placed by the OIC and his staff. The OIC attitude is the most unfriendly and very bureaucratic. Finally after a debate and heated argument with the OIC which was unfruitful I and my wife left without collecting the medicines with a saddened heart. Truly the Veterans battle in the ECHS is a on going process! There is an urgent requirement for instant redressal of grievances of Ex Servicemen within the ECHS Polyclinic and MH premises.

This is for your kind information.
With regards and best wishes,
--
James Kanagaraj
Moderator, Report My Signal Blog

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Army Tribunal Grants One Rank One Pension by Bhartesh Singh Thakur letters@hindustantimes.com

Hindustantimes
epaper
March 09, 2010
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/
Page 10
Army Tribunal Grants One Rank One Pension
Bhartesh Singh Thakur letters@hindustantimes.com
CHANDIGARH:
The Chandigarh bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal has directed the Union government to grant one rank one pension or the same pen- sion to personnel belonging to the same rank, irrespective of the date of retirement.
Deciding on the cases of Babu Ram Dhiman vs Union of India and Sohan Singh vs Union of India, the tribunal on Monday said, "It is quite clear that the State cannot lay down differ- ent criteria for grant of pension for same rank of officers and Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) on the basis of the cut- off date of retirement. All pen- sioners, irrespective of the date of retirement are entitled to (the) same pension."
The judgment also said grant of unequal pay in the same rank was a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution that grants equal rights to all citizens.
The All India Ex- Servicemen's Welfare Association, Chandigarh, under its legal aid scheme, filed these two cases seeking a direction to the Ministry of Defence to revise the pension of those who retired before January 2006 to put them on par with post- September 2008 pensioners. Bhim Sen Sehgal, chairman of the association and Rajesh Sehgal, petitioners' counsel, submitted that a Havildar who retired before January 2006 gets a pension of Rs 4,060 per month while those retiring after September 2008 get Rs 7,846.
Similar are the cases of equiv- alent ranks of the army, navy and air force, they said.
Amar Preet Sandhu, the cen- tral government's lawyer main- tained that the matter was under the government's con- sideration.
---------

Supreme Court Judjement.on 08 Mar 2010..Maj Dhanapalan's case

From: bhupendra sharma beekay_sharma49@yahoo.co.in
Sent: 09 March 2010 06:40
To: CS Kamboj;
Cc: rdoa; satwant bansal
Subject: JUDGMENT IVTH PAY COMMISSION ANOMALY

Dear Brig Kamboj,

It is the result of collective fight. As you have always been telling the veterns through your emails. I am grateful to you for such high words for me and RDOA. Sir you may like to put it on "REPORT MY SIGNAL". My TELE Nos are 011-25081308, 09871351203 and 09212252627. Col Satwant isINGH s available on 09818039172. All officers serving and retired are welcome to contact us for any clarification on this.

BEEKAY
(Lt Col BK Sharma, Chairman Retired Defence Officers’ Association)

-----------
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
T.P. (C) No. 56/ 2007
IN THE MATTER OF: -
Union of India …Petitioners
Versus

N.K. Nair & Ors. …Respondents

THE ERRONEOUS FIXATION OF PAY IN RESPECT OF ARMED FORCES OFFICERS (ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE) PURSUANT TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF IVTH PAY COMMISSION EFFECTED FROM 01.01.1986 SET RIGHT BY THE HON’BLE SUPREME COURT.

Date : 08.03.2010 --------- Court – 07 ----- Item 84.
1. The recommendations of the IVth Pay Commission were accepted by the Central Government in respect of its employees including Armed Forces Officers and Men and given effect from 01.01.1986 vide Notification dated 18.03.1987. The IVth Pay Commission introduced rank pay for various ranks of the officers from Captain to Brigadier (equivalent ranks in Navy & Air Force) in addition to the pay in the integrated scale. However, while implementing the same. The rank pay was reduced from the new scale fixed for the officers.

2. One Major A.K. Dhannapalan – SL 7805 challenged this reduction in his O.P. No. 2448/1996 before the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala at Ernakulum. The Hon’ble Single Judge of the Kerala High Court allowed the writ petition on 05.10.1998 and held that the respondents have completely misunderstood the scope of extending benefit of rank pay to Armed Forces Officers. According to the High Court, rank pay is something which has been given to the army officers in addition to the existing pay scale. The Division Bench of the High Court was pleased to confirm the judgment and order of the Hon’ble Single Judge and dismissed the Appeal filed on behalf of the Union of India and Others vide W.A. No. 518/1999 on 04.07.2003. The Hon’ble Supreme Court dismissed the S.L.P. (Civil) no. CC-5908/2005 on 12.07.2005, filed by Union Of India & Ors. against the orders passed by the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala on grounds of delay.

3. While implementing the judgment in the case of Maj. Dhannapalan, Union of India gave all benefits to him alone and did not take any action on several representations submitted by the officers. This resulted into filing of a large number of writ petitions by similarly situated Armed Forces Officers all over India.

4. A Transfer Petition (Civil) No. 56/2007 was filed on behalf of the Union of India & Ors. on 13.12.2006 under Article 139-A (1) of the Constitution of India with order 36-A of Supreme Court Rules, 1966 before the Apex Court praying for transfer of all the writ petitions pending before the various High Courts. The Hon’ble Supreme court was pleased to issue notices in the aforesaid transfer petition on 05.02.2007 and passed orders for interim stay of further proceedings in all the High Courts. In this transfer petition, we filed appearance on behalf of about 50 petitioners in Kerala High Court led by N.K. Nair & Ors. (The main matter) and also filed a counter affidavit. On 03.11.2008, while hearing the I.A. filed on behalf of N.K. Nair & Ors., The Hon’ble Supreme Court directed that the counter affidavits in the main matter be treated as counter affidavit filed in all the matters mentioned in the transfer petitions and the matter be taken up for final disposal without waiting for completion of service on un-served petitioners of various writ petitions in the High Courts. by the similarly situated In the meantime, several intervention applications were filed in the aforesaid transfer petition apart from two Writ Petitions under Article 32 of Constitution of India. We also filed an intervention application on behalf of Retired Defence Officers Association, Disabled War Veterans (India), The Naval Foundation & Akhil Bhartiya Poorva Sainik Sewa Parishad.

5. The matter was heard and finally disposed of by the Hon’ble Supreme court by the Bench of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Markendey Katju & Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.M. Lodha today i.e. 08.03.2010 (Court-7, Item-84). The Apex Court has held that the judgment dated 05.10.1998 of the Hon’ble Single Judge of Kerala High Court in O.P. No. 2448/1996 as confirmed by the Hon’ble Division Bench of the same High Court in W.A. NO. 518/1999 (Appeal) was correct and reasonable and as such the benefit of this judgment be extended to all eligible officers of Armed Forces. The Hon’ble Apex Court awarded 6% interest on the amount due to the officers. The Hon’ble Supreme court disposed of the transfer petition and allowed the writ petitions of the petitioners.
--------------
THE END

Well Done RDOA by Lt Col BM Thapa

Dear Col Sharma,
All def Retd personnel of India owe deep gratitude to you for your dedicated day and night efforts due to which you have done a great service not only to help the Retd def personnel but also to apprise the Govt for their bad attitude of not helping the def forces in many ways. In short span of time Govt has lost two such cases due to their adamant and stubborn attitude and in future also Govt is going to loose many more cases for such injustice done. Now is the high time for the Govt to issue G O for OROP immediately failing which Govt will be legally forced to do needful under the leadership person like you.
On 14 Mar 10, ESM of Doonites having Rally cum Press Conference under the leadership of Brig K G Behl, President ESM who is returning from Vietnam to Dehradun on 10 Mar 10 for this very purpose.
With fondest Regards.
Brij
(Lt Col B M Thapa, Veteran
General Secretary
Dehradun Ex-Services League
Member Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement
Presently at Singapore
Mob-0065-93960636

AGENDA FOR CORE GROUP MEETING ON 13 MARCH SATURDAY AT AVCC SECTOR 37 NOIDA

AGENDA FOR CORE GROUP MEETING ON 13 MARCH SATURDAY
AT AVCC SECTOR 37 NOIDA

1. Plans to increase the membership of IESM.
2. Plans to improve financial health of IESM
3. IESM structure at state/district/city/village level.
4. Election of conveners in states.
5. Election of Governing body on completion of 2 yrs.
6. Action to be taken against dissidence and plans to reduce dissidence.
7. Future plans to intensify protest for OROP.
8. Consider the option of BKU to align with them to intensify the agitation for OROP.
9. Exemption from property tax for ESM in all states of India on the lines of Thane Maharashtra
10. Plans for annual meetings at state level.
11. Points by conveners.
12. Organizational communication point by Brig Luktuke

Monday, March 8, 2010

HT .Letter to Editor on ..OROP

Dear Sir,

In response to your news in HT today on the above subject,i am writing following for publication in Letters to The Editors column.

1. 'One Rank One Pension' is a long standing demand of Ex Servicemen.Congress Party and BJP both have accepted the same IN THEIR ELECTIONS MANIFESTO.A sum of Rs 2100 crores was earmarked also by the UPA for granting parity in pension to men below officers rank.The same has also been denied to them for so long.Soldiers have been demanding their justified parity in pension irrespective of date of retirement on the plea that they retire at an very early age,their service conditions are much harder than any other service and the same had been accepted by all.To linger it further will only result in lowering the moral of serving soldiers and shortage of officers since no talented young man wants to join services today.

2. Can we request our fellow citizens to support just demand of the Veterans.

Regards,

Brig Nawab Singh-Retd
M-9915020040
878/ph 3-b2 ,mohali

IV Pay commission Case won in Supreme Court

Dear All,

THE ERRONEOUS FIXATION OF PAY IN RESPECT OF ARMED FORCES OFFICERS (ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE) PURSUANT TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF IVTH PAY COMMISSION EFFECTED FROM 01.01.1986 SET RIGHT BY THE HON’BLE SUPREME COURT on 8th March 2010.

Circulating to you all to share with all officers (retired and serving) that you may know, so they can take their benefits, so rightly theirs, but denied by the babudom infesting our system.

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
T.P. (C) No. 56/ 2007
IN THE MATTER OF: -
Union of India …Petitioners
Versus

N.K. Nair & Ors. …Respondents

THE ERRONEOUS FIXATION OF PAY IN RESPECT OF ARMED FORCES OFFICERS (ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE) PURSUANT TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF IVTH PAY COMMISSION EFFECTED FROM 01.01.1986 SET RIGHT BY THE HON’BLE SUPREME COURT.

Date : 08.03.2010 --------- Court – 07 ----- Item 84.
1. The recommendations of the IVth Pay Commission were accepted by the Central Government in respect of its employees including Armed Forces Officers and Men and given effect from 01.01.1986 vide Notification dated 18.03.1987. The IVth Pay Commission introduced rank pay for various ranks of the officers from Captain to Brigadier (equivalent ranks in Navy & Air Force) in addition to the pay in the integrated scale. However, while implementing the same. The rank pay was reduced from the new scale fixed for the officers.

2. One Major A.K. Dhannapalan – SL 7805 challenged this reduction in his O.P. No. 2448/1996 before the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala at Ernakulum. The Hon’ble Single Judge of the Kerala High Court allowed the writ petition on 05.10.1998 and held that the respondents have completely misunderstood the scope of extending benefit of rank pay to Armed Forces Officers. According to the High Court, rank pay is something which has been given to the army officers in addition to the existing pay scale. The Division Bench of the High Court was pleased to confirm the judgment and order of the Hon’ble Single Judge and dismissed the Appeal filed on behalf of the Union of India and Others vide W.A. No. 518/1999 on 04.07.2003. The Hon’ble Supreme Court dismissed the S.L.P. (Civil) no. CC-5908/2005 on 12.07.2005, filed by Union Of India & Ors. against the orders passed by the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala on grounds of delay.

3. While implementing the judgment in the case of Maj. Dhannapalan, Union of India gave all benefits to him alone and did not take any action on several representations submitted by the officers. This resulted into filing of a large number of writ petitions by similarly situated Armed Forces Officers all over India.

4. A Transfer Petition (Civil) No. 56/2007 was filed on behalf of the Union of India & Ors. on 13.12.2006 under Article 139-A (1) of the Constitution of India with order 36-A of Supreme Court Rules, 1966 before the Apex Court praying for transfer of all the writ petitions pending before the various High Courts. The Hon’ble Supreme court was pleased to issue notices in the aforesaid transfer petition on 05.02.2007 and passed orders for interim stay of further proceedings in all the High Courts. In this transfer petition, we filed appearance on behalf of about 50 petitioners in Kerala High Court led by N.K. Nair & Ors. (The main matter) and also filed a counter affidavit. On 03.11.2008, while hearing the I.A. filed on behalf of N.K. Nair & Ors., The Hon’ble Supreme Court directed that the counter affidavits in the main matter be treated as counter affidavit filed in all the matters mentioned in the transfer petitions and the matter be taken up for final disposal without waiting for completion of service on un-served petitioners of various writ petitions in the High Courts. by the similarly situated In the meantime, several intervention applications were filed in the aforesaid transfer petition apart from two Writ Petitions under Article 32 of Constitution of India. We also filed an intervention application on behalf of Retired Defence Officers Association, Disabled War Veterans (India), The Naval Foundation & Akhil Bhartiya Poorva Sainik Sewa Parishad.

5. The matter was heard and finally disposed of by the Hon’ble Supreme court by the Bench of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Markendey Katju & Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.M. Lodha today i.e. 08.03.2010 (Court-7, Item-84). The Apex Court has held that the judgment dated 05.10.1998 of the Hon’ble Single Judge of Kerala High Court in O.P. No. 2448/1996 as confirmed by the Hon’ble Division Bench of the same High Court in W.A. NO. 518/1999 (Appeal) was correct and reasonable and as such the benefit of this judgment be extended to all eligible officers of Armed Forces. The Hon’ble Apex Court awarded 6% interest on the amount due to the officers. The Hon’ble Supreme court disposed of the transfer petition and allowed the writ petitions of the petitioners

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Rally at Bangalore 14 March 2010

AN APPEAL ADDRESSED TO MILITARY VETERANS AT BANGALORE

AN APPEAL ADDRESSED TO
MILITARY VETERANS AT BANGALORE

Respected Veterans,
Jai Hind.
Your kind presence requested at the
EX-SERVICEMEN RALLY*
at 10 AM on Sunday, 14 March 2010 at
RASHTRIYA SAINIKA SMARAKA
adjacent to Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain on Chowdaiah Road
opposite Nehru Planetarium, Near Raj Bhawan, Bangalore
*For signing a Memorandum addressed to
the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
**********************************************

A MEMORANDUM FROM THE EX-SERVICEMEN* OF INDIA
TO DOCTOR MANMOHAN SINGH,
HON’BLE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA
[*Ex-Servicemen means, Retired Officers of the Army, Navy & Air Force and retired JCOs, NCOs & Sepoys of the Army and their equivalents in the Navy & Air Force]
To
Dr Manmohan Singh
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
New Delhi – 110 011

EX-SERVICEMEN OF INDIA SEEK JUSTICE WITH REGARD TO PENSION AND RESETTLEMENT
Respected Prime Minister,
Jai Hind.
1. There is tremendous resentment amongst the EX-SERVICEMEN in the Country, on account of their pain & anguish brought about by years of neglect & apathy by the Govt. of India, in not addressing the various issues relating to their pension & resettlement. And, as a result of popular upsurge, on account of gross injustice meted out the personnel of the Defence Services and Ex-Servicemen; on announcement of the 6th Central Pay Commission, the INDIAN EX-SERVICEMEN MOVEMENT (IESM) came into being. The Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement is a crusade, committed to fight for the WELFARE and WELL-BEING of Ex-Servicemen and our foremost demand is that Govt. grant MILITARY PENSION by way of ONE RANK, ONE PENSION.
2. In order to draw the attention of the Govt. of India for the amelioration of their problems relating to pension & resettlement; Ex-Servicemen in large numbers, led by Generals, Admirals and Air Marshals took part, in the following events all over the Country, viz.
(a) A silent Memorial Service paying Homage to Martyrs at War Memorials, on Sunday, 27 April 2008;
(b) A token one day FAST FOR JUSTICE on Tuesday, 27 May 2008;
(c) A MARCH FOR JUSTICE on Sunday, 06 July 2008.
(d) A token one day FAST FOR JUSTICE on Monday, 20 Oct 2008;
(e) A relay FAST FOR JUSTICE at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, commencing on 16 Dec 2008;
(f) Depositing of Medals with the President of India on Sunday, 08 Feb 2009; and till date over 25,000 Medals have been returned & deposited in the Rashtrapathi Bhawan.
3. It is unfortunate that, despite the fact that the aforementioned events, viz. ‘Homage to Martyrs’ and ‘Fast for Justice’ and Return of Medals, organized by Ex-Servicemen in scores of cities & towns all over the Country, were well covered by the Print & Electronic (TV) media and received overwhelming response from the General Public; the Govt. of India continues to display an Ostrich like attitude in ignoring the simmering discontent of millions of Ex-Servicemen through out the length & breadth of the Country. Such a callous attitude by the Govt. of India towards its Ex-Servicemen does not bode well for the well being of the Nation; for it goes without saying that all this is having an adverse effect on the Morale of the Defence Services, as the ‘Men in Uniform’ ie. Serving Soldiers, watch in silence the injustice meted out the Military Veterans (a vast majority of whom are their elder brothers & fathers), fully aware that what has befallen the Ex-Servicemen today, would be their plight tomorrow when they retire; and one can hear the Men in Uniform say: AAJ UNKE SAATH, KAL HAMAARE SAATH.
4. It is due to the dedicated & committed efforts of IESM that ONE RANK, ONE PENSION has been brought centre stage. So much so that, even Her Excellency, the President of India, in her address to the joint session of Parliament, on 04 June 2008, stated that ONE RANK, ONE PENSION was under consideration and that a Committee of Secretaries headed by the Cabinet Secretary has been tasked to study the feasibility of granting ONE RANK, ONE PENSION. Unfortunately, the hopes of 2.5 million Ex-Servicemen were severely dashed with the publication of the Committee Report in end June 2009, which in short said NO to the grant of ONE RANK, ONE PENSION.
5. As Chairman of IESM representing the aspirations of 2.5 million Ex-Servicemen, spread all over the Country, I would like to impress upon you five salient points:
(a) Military Service & Service conditions are UNIQUE, meaning that they are entirely different and incomparable with that of a civilian in Govt. service; and hence, the pay & pension rules & regulations applicable to a Soldier CAN NOT be compared or equated with that of a civilian in Govt. service. Any comparison would not only be odious; but would amount to negation of concept of Military Service, as the two are as different as chalk and cheese.
(b) Why “ONE RANK ONE PENSION”. ‘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. Military Service is UNIQUE, with a highly demanding 24 by 7 work culture under hostile environments; and secondly, Military Service is the only Service wherein a Jawan is bundled out at the young age of 35, when he has a wife, two small children, unmarried sisters & parents to be taken care of; without the STATE bothering to give him an alternative employment. It is absolutely callous. A young man who joins Govt. service in civil as a LDC or a Police constable; serves comfortably till the age of 60 years and retires in a much higher position with a good amount as pension. Not so in the case of a Jawan. 85% of the Sepoys retire as Sepoys only after 15 years service. Most civilians who retire at 60, would live to see only one Pay Commission after retirement, considering their longevity to be 70-75 years and may be a few, two pay commissions; but a Sepoy would live to see nothing less than four Pay Commissions after retirement. ‘ONE RANK, ONE PENSION’ is equally applicable to Officers, as bulk (85%) retire in the rank of Colonel, at the age of 54 years; thus losing out on pay for six years & enhanced pensionary benefits. It is the older pensioners of the Army, Navy & Air Force who are the worst sufferers. It is not only the serving soldier that the STATE is duty bound to take care of; but also the Veterans who have sacrificed their youth in service of the Nation with no other thought but, DUTY, HONOUR and COUNTRY.
(c) The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, comprising 44 eminent Members of Parliament, had in their Report to Lok Sabha on 19 Aug 2003, strongly recommended the grant of ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP) to Ex-Servicemen. Para 99 of the said Report is reproduced below:
“The Committee has been recommending grant of `ONE RANK ONE PENSION’ to the armed forces personnel time and again. The Committee observes that successive Governments and Pay Commissions have made improvements in the pension structure keeping in view the cost of living index. This has accentuated the disparity of pensionary benefits between pensioners of the same rank. The older pensioners who have become infirm in ability and capability and burdened with a larger social obligation receive pension calculated at the rate of pay at the time of their retirement in 1950s or 1960s or 1970s, which is quite paltry and the Dearness Relief quite inconsequential in today’s context of inflation and shrinking purchasing value of money. The nation must repay its debt to those Defendents of the motherland with gratitude and humility. We should, instead of, looking for precedents in this regard, create precedents for the others to emulate. Any amount paid in this regard would be small token of our gratitude to them. The Committee, therefore, once again reiterates their earlier recommendation for providing `ONE RANK ONE PENSION’ to the armed forces personnel”.
(d) On detailed study & analysis of the 21 pages Report dated 30 June 2009, on ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP), by the Committee of Secretaries headed by the learned Cabinet Secretary, it would be crystal clear that, the Committee of Secretaries who were tasked to study ‘the feasibility of granting OROP’, have in fact arrogated to themselves the onerous duty of deciding ‘as to why OROP can not be granted & should NOT be granted to Ex-Servicemen’ by submitting a Report, which at best can be called ‘a litany of half truths’ with serious intent of obfuscation of truth; with the sole aim of misleading & misguiding the Ministers & Members of Parliament, by substantiating their illuminating recommendation, viz. OROP can not be granted to Ex-Servicemen, on the specious grounds that, ‘if OROP is granted to Ex-Servicemen, grant of OROP to civilians in Govt service, too, would have to be conceded, as both Civilian and Military Pensioners are governed by the same set of Pay & Pension regulations’. Nothing can be farther from the truth. And to put it mildly, the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) headed by the learned Cabinet Secretary has been ‘economical with truth’ by selectively quoting only adverse recommendations of Committees, Ministries & judicial verdicts, viz. saying, Ministry of Law opined that “the issue had come up for consideration before the Supreme Court in a number of cases, wherein the Ex-Servicemen has not been found to be entitled to ‘One Rank One Pension’ under the existing legal regime” and CoS going on to deliberately misquote the Supreme Court as saying, “This may entail discrimination, offending the principles of equality before law as enshrined in our Constitution”, and also that “That may amount to treating ‘unequal’ as ‘equal’, if all of them are to be treated alike by providing same pension, while ignoring their respective variations in length of service and average pay”. The point to note here is that the malicious intent of the Committee of Secretaries comes to the fore, by their quoting Supreme Court judgements not relevant to the subject, fully aware that that the Supreme Court had said so, ie. Grant of ONE RANK ONE PENSION is not feasible, only in the case of pensioners with ‘variations in service’; when, the same is NOT applicable in our case; as we have all along been asking for ONE RANK ONE PENSION, only in respect of pensioners of same rank with EQUAL length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement. The Report is an Obfuscation of Truth, because, nowhere in their Report, is there any mention regarding the ‘Report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, strongly & repeatedly recommending grant of ONE RANK ONE PENSION to Ex-Servicemen’.
(e) India is a Democratic Country; and, in a Democracy, the Country is governed by the ‘elected representatives of the people’, viz. Members of Parliament, who go on to form the Council of Ministers. And, it is the Council of Ministers and Members of Parliament, who after due discussion & deliberation of various issues, frame laws, rules & regulations for the efficient governance & administration of the Country; keeping in mind the concerns of National Security and the welfare & well-being of the people, who are SUPREME.
6. Civilian control over the Armed Forces in a Democracy, DOES NOT mean control by the Bureaucrats. Hark back to history of the Sub-Continent: when things went wrong in 1962, it is only the ‘heads’ of Ministers and the Soldiers at the helm, which rolled and NOT of any Bureaucrat. And hence, it is high time that the Hon’ble Prime Minister realized that the Question of ONE RANK ONE PENSION and resettlement of Ex-Servicemen can not be allowed to fester any longer and needs his personal attention. In the garb of exercising civilian control over the Armed Forces in a Democracy, successive Govt. in power have not only diluted the Combat Effectiveness or Worthiness of the Armed Forces, but also lowered its stature & image in the eyes of the public. And, one is thus reminded of Francis Quarles' poem:
God and the soldier, all men adore,
In time of danger and not before;
When the danger is passed and all things righted,
God is forgotten and the soldier slighted.
7. To do justice to the demand for grant of MILITARY PENSION by way of ONE RANK, ONE PENSION; and to address the Question of resettlement of Ex-Servicemen in a manner that is fair & square; the IESM requests the Hon’ble Prime Minister to convene 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). And, it is also requested that the JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE [JPC] be assisted by a Group of Military Veterans comprising retired Officers of the Army, Navy & Air Force who would be better suited to brief and advise the JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE [JPC] on all matters relating to Pay, Pension & Service conditions in the Armed Forces. We also request that we, IESM, be consulted while nominating the Group of Military Veterans, meant to assist & advice the JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE [JPC].
8. It may kindly be noted that WE, the Ex-Servicemen in India, have resolved that WE WILL achieve our Goal, before 31 Dec 2010. And, it may also kindly be noted that whatever WE do, our struggle will be WITHIN the bounds of LAW. As Ex-Servicemen WE realize that WE can not pelt stones; WE can not burn buses; WE can not indulge in RAASTA ROKO; WE can not indulge in TRAIN ROKO. Then what are the options left open to us and what is it that WE can do that WE remain within the bounds of Law? Simple, adopt Gandhian methods. To start with, this Memorandum is being signed by Ex-Servicemen in their own BLOOD, to impress upon you that WE the Ex-Servicemen are indeed anguished & pained to resort to this; and to request you to please take note of our pain & anguish and initiate immediate steps to ameliorate the same. WE the Ex-Servicemen also take this opportunity to inform you Sir, that in case our request for amelioration of our problems relating to Pension and Resettlement are not suitably addressed, WE the Ex-Servicemen, all over the Country, will be forced to further intensify our struggle; and the next and final step would be to launch a nation wide Satyagraha, undertaking FAST UNTO DEATH, commencing on 02 Oct 2010.
9. In the light of above, WE, the Ex-Servicemen of India, request you Sir, our Hon’ble Prime Minister, to show sagacity & perspicacity by taking bold decisions with regard to the welfare & well being of Ex-Servicemen, in the interest of the Nation; as any lowering of Morale of either the serving soldier or that of Ex-Servicemen, would seriously impinge and impact National Security.
10. To end, I most humbly request you Sir, to please grant us an appointment / audience at the very earliest, so that WE can express our pain & anguish in person.
Regards,
Veteran Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman,
Indian Ex- Servicemen Movement (IESM)
New Delhi, Sunday, 14 March 2010

Copy to:
1. The Hon’ble Minister for Defence
2. The Hon’ble Minister of State for Defence
3. All Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha)
Not on Original (NOO)
4. Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
5. Chief of Army Staff
6. Chief of Naval Staff
7. Chief of Air Staff
8. Vice Chief of Army Staff and GOC-in-C of all Army Commands
9. Vice Chief of Naval Staff and FOC-in-C of all Naval Commands
10. Vice Chief of Air Staff and AOC-in-C all Air Commands
11. PRESS – both Electronic & Print Media

Signing of Memorandum to the Hon'ble Prime Minister in Blood

Respected Sirs,
Jai Hind.
Signing of a Memorandum in BLOOD by GAURAV SENANI, ie. Ex-Servicemen is a serious & solemn affair. Affixing the signature in Blood, more than once, takes the sheen off the seriousness and solemnity of the very purpose of signing the Memorandum. In my humble opinion, if you sign more than once in Blood, it loses its value. It would then be counter-productive.
As explained in my SOP, the GAURAV SENANI in Karnataka are going to sign only ONCE in blood. And, it is Memorandum to the Hon'ble Prime Minister that would be signed in Blood.
Regards,
Col Rajan

ISI/ ISPR PROPAGANDA ABOUT SENIOR INDIAN ARMY OFFICERS

From: Ved Malik
Sent: 07 March 2010 21:48
To: Chander Kamboj
Cc: Rajendra Prakash; Ata Hasnain
Subject:
ISI/ ISPR PROPAGANDA ABOUT SENIOR INDIAN ARMY OFFICERS

Dear Chander,

The Sachar Memorial Lecture given by me, which was distorted by the ISI propoganda machine, is attached for your information.

Regards,
Ved Malik
(Gen VP Malik, Former COAS)

Major General Promoted after 15 yrs..AFT

A Major General, who retired 15 years ago, has been granted promotion to the rank of Lt General by the Armed Forces Tribunal here.After the Tribunal order, Maj Gen Devendra Nath Verma, a former Signals officer who retired on September 30, 1995, will “notionally” become a Lt General and would be given all pensionary and financial benefits attached with the promotion.
"Since the petitioner has retired, he may be granted notional promotion to that of a Lt General with effect from October 1, 1995, and the financial consequences that would have accrued to him had he been in service, including that of pensionary benefits," a two-member Bench headed by Tribunal chairperson Justice AK Mathur said.
Demanding quashing of his retirement, Verma had petitioned that service extension of three months given to another officer, Lt Gen PD Bhargava (retd), was stage-managed, which denied him the opportunity for promotion to the rank of Lt General.
Verma also contended that the three-month extension given to Bhargava was not recommended by the Army but was granted suo motu by the Defence Ministry. Agreeing with Verma's contention, the Tribunal said the granting of extension to Bhargava was “totally unjustified and ultra-vires”. — PT
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100308/nation.htm#14

FOR DEFENCE RELATED NEWS READ SANJHA MORCHA BLOG ,click below to open
http://sanjhamorcha2009.blogspot.com

--

Saturday, March 6, 2010

An Appeal for showing Gratitude to Sh. LK ADVANI

Dear Friends ,
Please refer to my mail below.

It is the FIRST time that any person of stature has raised a voice in our favour , in the Parliament about OROP . It is incumbent on all of us to show 'Gratitude' to him .

In view of the foregoing , it is requested that all of us , our friends and acquaintances MUST send him a message of thanks , organisationally and individually . E Mail ID of Mr Advani is - advanilk@sansad.nic.in . When lakhs of such mails go to him , the Govt WILL take note of them . These will also further motivate him to continue to take up our ''CAUSE'' in future also .

The suitable messages MUST be sent 'SEPARATELY' and my mail MUST NOT be forwarded as such. You are KINDLY requested to approach as many friends , foes and acquaintances to send e-mails of gratitude to Mr Advani , immediately .

Submitted for your kind INDULGENCE please

With Warm Regards,
Yours' Sincerely,

Brig Harwant Singh (Retd)
54, Phase-7, MOHALI.(Pb)
91+98144 32554 and 91+172- 2270154.

Veteran ramani's views

From: Kuppuswamy Ramani
Date: Fri, Mar 5, 2010 at 7:15 AM
Subject: re
To: rpchaturvedi@gmail.com

Dear RP,
Hello how are you? I would like to share some thoughts with you. It is regarding retired service officers in their capacity as domain experts unwittingly giving away information which is used to the hilt by these upstarts Defence Correspondents in the TV media and passed on by them as their analysis . Over a period of time they call shots and our experts appear as pedestrians and look for explanations.There was an unfortunate crash of an ac of Navy aerobatics team yesterday. So as usual the press went after it.{ old saying of man biting dog) Notably Head Lines and the other one where that Arnab Goswami Channel. I am against those two upstarts called Aroor and Menon or some one who is at tandem with Aroor I think Shiv. They got hold of one Air Marshall Ahluwalia to give expert opinion in this case.. Here is my lament. These experts from the services are either too gullible or naive. The so called defence correspondent of these channels are too clever. They extract as much technical information/ forces jargon as possible from these experts and wait for something similar to happen on a future date and then reel off their expert opinion and pass it off as their own when rhe next incident happens and possibly put the next expert from the forces in the dock by surprise questions.. There was no requirement for Ahluwalia in this case to get into technical details of flying and saying" we have the platform in terms of aircraft and then we have the man flying it and both ought to have coordination and so on......... The other expert even talked of ailerons and how they come into play in these manoeuvres . Why cant they just say that the aircraft and crew have been well tested and let us wait for investigation. The Air Marshall does not need to prove his mettle/ability to these upstarts. Same thing happened during so called land scam. Our "experts" taught these upstarts DSR and these people quoted it every now and then eg These upstarts will say we know DSR does not permit junior officer to sit in Cof I.............. and the listening public will say wah wah they know about rules in the forces real experts yaar. (Incidentally in the instant case it was AR180 which was not applied and I do not understand how JAG/MG Adm Eastern Command let it go like that. this is entirely different matter). The DSR is a secondary issue. But our" Defence Correspondent" managed to portray themselves as guardian angel and expose corruption and inefficiency in the" Services"

Some how we need to tell these regular experts of ours to keep their wisdom to themselves and talk every thing under the sun except contribute to quarter baked knowledge of these up starts. The idea should be to make the ilks of Aroor and Shiv look foolish every time they talk on defence matters. I feel you are the best person to convey these views in any manner you deem appropriate. I just feel I owe it to the Organisation which is looking after me even today and to my colleagues like you who have held on to cherished value systems .

warm regards
ramani

Online Registration for IESM members

From: Virendra Swarup [mailto:colonelviruswarup@gmail.com]
Sent: 06 March 2010 03:48
To: Kamboj Chander
Subject: Re: SOME OF THE EMAILS RECEIVED FROM MEMBERS - "REPORT MY SIGNAL" - EMAIL 099/2010 - 05 MAR 2010 (H to Z)

Dear Gen Renjen,
Kindly refer your mail relating to online registration of IESM members circulated by Report My Signals.
In my considered view this is a retrograde step denying online registration which is really the easiest way and in conformity to the technology available. No doubt, the data entry has to be done centrally. The membership number should be only allotted after the confirmation from the bank of the respective checks. And that too, after the checks are credited in the bank. The data entry of membership has to be monitored and supervised and kept in secured custody. Nobody should be able to have access to membership registry other than those authorized. The completed registry of membership can be accessed online by members on pdf format which, I understand, cannot be tampered easily. This can be further secured by IP professionals. So where is the chance of someone tampering the data entry? And, in any case, on periodical audit if any error is noticed which can be corrected and those responsible for misconduct, if at all, can be dealt with suitably at later stage.
In the light of aforesaid, I feel, you may if you will, take views of IESM members and review your decision...

With warm regards,
Viru Swarup
www.colonelviruswarup.com

Friday, March 5, 2010

Donation of Rs. 20000 by Lt Col Man Mohan Kakar

Dear General,

Through "REPORT MY SIGNAL", I have been following with great interest and appreciation the work of IESM and its core committee for getting justice for defence services.

I would like to make a token contribution to the efforts of IESM by way of a donation. I am enclosing cheque # 948601 for RS 20,000.00 ( Twenty thousand) in favour of Ex-Servicemen Organization drawn on Syndicate bank New Delhi.

I shall appreciate an e-mail confirmation of receipt of this cheque at mohan@itintellectuals.com.

With best wishes for the success of IESM mission.

Thanking You

Man Mohan Kakar

Thursday, March 4, 2010

PM committed Parliamentary impropriety: Advani

PM committed Parliamentary impropriety: Advani
Agencies Tags : BJP, L K Advani, Manmohan Singh, Army pension Posted: Thursday , Mar 04, 2010 at 1220 hrs New Delhi:

BJP leader L K Advani speaks during the Motion of Thanks on President's Address in the Lok Sabha.
A day after locking horns with Manmohan Singh during the Presidential Address debate, senior BJP leader L K Advani on Thursday said the Prime Minister had breached Parliamentary propriety by making "false" claims that enhanced pension announced for army personnel had been met.
"Advani informed BJP MPs about PM's claim in Lok Sabha on Wednesday that the government had implemented its decision on enhancement of pension to JCOs and Jawans. No JCO or Jawan has received any such orders. This is a very serious matter of Parliamentary impropriety," senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters, quoting Advani.
Advani, who is Chairman of BJP Parliamentary Party, was speaking at a meeting of the BJP MPs here. He cited a letter written by Maj Gen (Retd.) Satbir Singh, vice chairman, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, where the latter had mentioned the July 6, 2009 order.
Manmohan Singh had intervened several times yesterday while Advani was replying to the Presidential Address in the Lok Sabha, including on the issue of enhancement of pension to ex-servicemen.
Advani had yesterday pointed to Singh's Independence Day speech in which he had referred to steps regarding the demand of ex servicemen relating to 'one rank one pay'.
Singh said whatever promises have been made were delivered by the Government and that Advani "should not create a rift between the Services and the Government".
"Advani said that the Prime Minister should have studied the matter properly and then spoken on it. This impropriety should be taken seriously," Naidu said.
Government had earmarked Rs 2100 crore per year for the benefit of 12 lakh JCOs and jawans.
Advani praised his party MPs for their performance in Parliament on cornering the government on price rise. On the future strategy, he said the Kashmir issue and US "pressure" on India's foreign policy matters should be emphasised by BJP in Parliament.
"Advani said our complaints are not against the US but against our government's tendency to bow under international pressure. The Saghir Ahmed report on autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir gives the impression that the government will buckle under pressure," Naidu told reporters.
The senior BJP leader also said Home Minister P Chidambaram's recent statement on allowing return of Kashmiri militants from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would lead to "disastrous consequences".
Advani also patted BJP and NDA state governments which had done well in terms of GDP growth.
"The Central Statistical Survey figures show the five top-most states are BJP and NDA-ruled. Gujarat tops the list, followed by Bihar, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand. The fifth is Orissa," Naidu said.
BJP maintained that it had not worked out any floor co-ordination with other opposition parties on taking on the government but had no problems in working with them.
On the proposed Women's Reservation Bill, likely to be tabled on March 8, Naidu said BJP would support the legislation, even though some NDA allies are opposed to it.

__._,_.___

Donate to IESM and get tax exemption

Dear Sir
With the new proposals on IT in the budget any veteran who donates can save on ITax.
You are all aware that the IESM donations are covered by 80G.
So donating to IESM will help you save tax as well as help the cause of the veterans.
Pls consider and be generous in your donations.
Brgds
R W Pathak
Cdr Ravindra Waman Pathak I.N.(Retd)

Signing of Memo in Blood

Dear Veterans
As a follow up of my last mail, I could see that on 3.3.10 Mr Advani did ask the PM on the OROP issue on the floor of the parliament and the reply from the PM was not specific to the question. He only said that whatever was promised in the Budget Speech in 2009 has been implemented.Here is the cue for all of us to see and understand. The President said something-committee was formed-the committee did not recommend OROP- the reasons cited were not adequate or convincing- the FM says something on the subject in his budget speech in 2009-the PM says on 3rd Mar.10 that OROP as said in the budget speech is completed.We all en-mass or individually can send emails to all MPs opp+ruling party.In case no response then follow up again and continue to send mails till their inboxes are full . This may appear to be a naive suggestion but is a MUNNABHAI approach in my view.
We need to understand that out of approx 20 lacs ESM our membership is only about 6000.We are all old above 60 yrs of age .In our prime age we had contributed tremendously to the society though the present age society perhaps needs further contribution to it from us.The PM or the DM or the Government as a whole would take no note of our presence as we are no where a votebank or a significant lot.The commitment of our Government is not total as that of the President of the USA who expressed total commitment towards his country's servicemen. We have to find ways & means to be heard by the people who wield power. The present society generally wants its old people to go to old age homes while some in the same society do respect&love their elders and keep them under the care of the family till the end.Our Government too thinks about us in the same way so to be heard some thing new has to be done.My way of Munnabhai is there , & each one of us can think about more novel ways to make us heard in the corridors of power .
Jai Hind
Vijoy K. Ambasta

Thanks to Lt Col Mohan Kakar for Donation to IESM

Dear General Satbir,
In 2008 (or early 2009), Lt Col Man Mohan Kakar had contributed Rs 20,000.00 to IESM.
I tried to locate his name on our website but did not find it.
Regards.
Chander Kamboj
Copy to Lt Col MM Kakar – Kindly give more details of the cheque of Rs 20,000.00 you had sent earlier. – Thank you. – Chander Kamboj
Copy to – Maj Gen Renjen, Wg Cdr CK Sharma and Cdr Sharan Ahuja – Your help requested to trace the transaction of Rs 20,000. It was a cheque of Syndicate Bank, South Block, New Delhi.

From: Mohan Kakar [mailto:mohan@itintellectuals.com]
Sent: 03 March 2010 20:50
To: satbirsm@yahoo.com; Kamboj Chander
Subject:

Dear Gen. Satbir,

I am attaching my donation form for a donation of Rs 10,000/- only. The cheque has been mailed to you separately. I wish the efforts of IESM community a stupendous success

Thanks & Regards

Lt Col Man Mohan Kakar (Retd)
Cell: 248-376-5363

Cry My Beloved Country by Lt Gen SK Bahri

Sir,
This morning I read in the newspapers that in reply to Mr LK Advani's question regarding `One Rank One Pension' (OROP) for Ex Servicemen (ESM) the PM was miserly with the truth when he told the House that "whatever the Govt promised has been implemented". It is eight months since the Finance Minister announced that" the longstanding demand of OROP of ESM is being implemented and allocated Rs 2140 crores. But no one has been given a sausage so far. Secondly, the PM and FM do not seem to want to understand the meaning of OROP despite numerous representations being submitted to everyone giving the definition and the basis for demanding it.

The second news item is regarding the recommendation by our elected representatives that the highest reward the country can give ie., the Bharat Ratna, be awarded to Sachin Tendulkar. I too agree that some such award should be awarded to him as he is an icon that our youngsters should model themselves on. But what happens to the conscience of our lawmakers when they cannot bring themselves to recommend Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw for the Bharat Ratna. Isnt it time that all the elected representatives across party lines, in Central and State legislatures, demand from the government in power to make amends immediately. Is it that the soldier who brings glory and victory to the country can never measure up to the highest award? Or is it that the Field Marshal deserves a higher award that has yet to be instituted?

Lt Gen SK Bahri (Retd)
A3/502 World Spa East
Sector 30/41
Gurgaon 122001
0124 4143180/181
Mob +91 981000 2800

Thanks to Lt Col Mohan for Rs. 5000 donation to IESM

Respected Veteran Col Mohan,
Jai Hind.
I, on behalf of IESM Core Group thank you & express our gratitude to
you for being kind & magnanimous in donating Rs. 5000 to IESM.
Regards,
Col Rajan

On 04/03/2010, Mohan V wrote:
> Dear Sir,
>
> I have forwarded a ICICI bank cheque No 388430 dated 04 Mar 2010 for Rs
> 5000/- through mail to the address mentioned by you in the preceding mail.
>
> Best Regards
>
> Lt Col Mohan Vizhakat, SM (Retd)
> F - 008; Faith Block
> Purva Graces Apartments
> Amruthahalli; Byatharayanpura
> Off Bellary Road
> Bangalore - 560092
> Tele 080 40925209
> Mobile 09980805723

EX-SERVICEMEN DEPLORE PRIME MINISTER’s STATEMENT

PRESS RELEASE
EX-SERVICEMEN DEPLORE PRIME MINISTER’s STATEMENT
1. The Executive Committee of the All India Defence Brotherhood (Regd) in a meeting today strongly deplored the answer given by the Prime Minister to a question raised in the Parliament on 03 March by Hon’ble Shri LK Advani , Chairman of the NDA , as to why the ‘’One Rank One Pension’’ (OROP) had not been implemented. The Hon’ble Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh made a WRONG statement on the floor of the House, which was telecast live by the Lok Sabha TV Channel ,that the enhancement of pensions to JCO’S and Jawans announced by the Govt on 06 July 09 had been implemented.

2. The fact is, till today, NO Jawan or JCO has received due enhancement of their pensions. Even the Service HQs, where an inquiry was made, have confirmed that NO orders for enhancement of pensions of JCOs and Jawans, as announced by the Govt on 06 July 2009 have been received. Only pre 5 the Pay Commission(1996) retirees have been brought closer to post ’96 retirees . PARITY BETWEEN PRE AND POST 6TH PAY COMMISSION RETIREES HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED AT ALL. To cover up his govt’s neglect of the defence forces, the PM blatantly accused Mr Adavani of trying to create a rift between the govt and the Defence Forces by raising such a question , even though it was a most pertinent one for the ‘Morale’ of the latter , which is a ‘Battle Winning’ factor .

4. As per the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s ruling, ‘Pension’ is ‘Deferred Wages’ for the ‘Services Rendered’ (earlier). Irrespective of their date of retirement, two persons who rendered the same service, both in terms of ‘Quality’ and ‘Quantity’ should get the same ‘Deferred Wages’ (Pension). In the Defence Forces the ‘Quality’ of service is defined by the ‘Rank’ attained and the ‘Quantity’ by the length of service under similar ‘Determinants’ of Pension. Hence the demand of the O R O P, which goes back to 1980s and had been accepted ‘in Principle’ by many Prime Ministers including Mrs Indira Gandhi , Mr VP Singh and Mr AB Vajpayee, etc . Unlike the Civilians , the Soldiers are the only people whose everything depends upon “Ranks”, whether it be, age of retirement , length of service in a ‘Rank’. etc .The world over ‘’ Ranks’’ conform to internationally accepted norms, e.g. a Battalion is commanded by a Lt Colonel/ Colonel and a ship by a Captain. If their everything depends upon ‘’Rank’’, their pension should also depend upon it ,irrespective of their date of retirement. An old Naib Subedar, who has enormous responsibilities, gets LESS pension than a newly retired Civilian ‘Chaprasi’ (Peon). An old Sepoy gets much less than a newly retired Sepoy. IS THIS JUSTICE ?
5. Mrs Sonia Gandhi , the Congress President promised, in a vast Ex-Servicemen’s ‘’Rally’’ in November 2002, to grant them One Rank One Pension if voted to power. Tragically that promise has NOT been fulfilled. Reference to OROP was also made in their 2004 election manifesto .
6. The ‘Standing Committee on Defence’ (13th Lok Sabha) in its “20th Report had strongly recommended implementation of OROP and even to make a ‘Precedent’ in this regards . This Report was tabled in both the houses of the Parliament by December 2003 . It thus has the sanction of the Parliament . But unfortunately it has not been implemented till date . Denying the OROP at this stage is gravely unjust.

7. Misguiding the Parliament and the Nation, by no less a person than the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India ,is a very serious matter of impropriety. The Bureaucrats have again connived by wrongly advising the Prime Minister, which is condemnable . We strongly protest and request the PM to honour the commitments made on One Rank One Pension.
Sd/-
{BRIG HARWANT SINGH (RETD)}
PRESIDENT
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