Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
It is very heartening to see that very large number of members have responded and emailed their views.
Excepting a few emails, I am reproducing all the emails, received so far, giving views of ESM on the programme on NDTV.
I apologise to the members whose emails are not included here. The reasons for not including those emails are as under –
1. Some emails received are long trailing emails – having 8 to 10 emails – one below the other.
I am sorry I do not have the patience to handle such long trailing emails.
2. The cryptic one-liner emails have also been left out.
3. While it is true that we all would have liked to see more ESM issues being covered – but please appreciate that the ESM attending the NDTV show did not have control over it. Also that many things covered were edited out. (I will give the information of edited out later).
Therefore, some of you totally condemning the programme and the ESM participants – I think have been most unfair to those who worked so hard to prepare. And I challenge those who have condemned the speakers out right – they could not have done any better. It is very easy to sit outside and comment.
As rude emails would have hurt the feelings of those who worked hard and took part in the programme, such emails are not being circulated by "REPORT MY SIGNAL" . I once again apologise to the authors of such emails.
4. Some of these rude emails did have a few valid points, which in any case have reached all concerned.
An extract from the emails not included here, is reproduced below, which will give you some indication of the editing –
One of the Remarks from A Core Group Member in an email.
The only one thing we could have additionally done to 'Shut Up' Indu Liberhan when she said that OROP is 'Illegal' is to have asked her –
1. If Illegal, why have Parliamentary Committees on Defence been repeatedly 'R' (recommended) OROP ?
2. If illegal then why are judges of SC & HC ( the so called custodians of justice) themselves taking OROP ?
-----------------
Response By Lt Gen Kadyan by email.
It indeed was said, but was edited (and not telecast).
---------
Almost all the emails below have highly appreciated the programme on NDTV.
So let us all cheer up and congratulate the participants of the programme.
WELL DONE SIRS.
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.
-------------
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
NDTV ..Views by Col DP Gupta
From: dharam gupta [mailto:prakashdpg@yahoo.com]
Sent: 12 September 2010 21:18
To: CS Kamboj
Subject: OROP We the people
My dear Brig,
It was an eye opener not only to us the Armed Forces Veteran but for the
people of India. Our representatives did a wonderful discussion and rebuffed
Capt Dawar's claims.
i feel that we need to find answers to the following points to push our
case through:-
- legal tenability of OROP as the Govt is harping on it.
- Answer to the proposal that give greater compensation rather than asking
for OROP
- counter the argument of the Prof .... that under one roof ,son and
father will have different pensions. it is law of nature
(I saw the programme on internet. I feel that this was the only correct
point spoken by Professor Shaw.
Rest whatever he spoke - were statements by a heartless and brainless
person.
I guess he is employed by the Babus as a financial adviser and is on their
pay roll.
When one raises a point at such high level discussions – the likely
response of others should be anticipated, appreciated and if the response is
not likely to be favourable – such a point should not be raised.
The point about father and son emoluments was a not weighed before speaking
it out.
The person who raised the point desrved that answer.
– Chander Kamboj)
All the speakers for Armed Forces case need congratulations.
Sh Chandrashekhar, MP needs special appreciation.
Col D P Gupta
Sent: 12 September 2010 21:18
To: CS Kamboj
Subject: OROP We the people
My dear Brig,
It was an eye opener not only to us the Armed Forces Veteran but for the
people of India. Our representatives did a wonderful discussion and rebuffed
Capt Dawar's claims.
i feel that we need to find answers to the following points to push our
case through:-
- legal tenability of OROP as the Govt is harping on it.
- Answer to the proposal that give greater compensation rather than asking
for OROP
- counter the argument of the Prof .... that under one roof ,son and
father will have different pensions. it is law of nature
(I saw the programme on internet. I feel that this was the only correct
point spoken by Professor Shaw.
Rest whatever he spoke - were statements by a heartless and brainless
person.
I guess he is employed by the Babus as a financial adviser and is on their
pay roll.
When one raises a point at such high level discussions – the likely
response of others should be anticipated, appreciated and if the response is
not likely to be favourable – such a point should not be raised.
The point about father and son emoluments was a not weighed before speaking
it out.
The person who raised the point desrved that answer.
– Chander Kamboj)
All the speakers for Armed Forces case need congratulations.
Sh Chandrashekhar, MP needs special appreciation.
Col D P Gupta
NDTV ..Views by unknown Veteran
From: swastikgreens [mailto:swastikgreens@airtelmail.in]
Sent: 12 September 2010 12:25
To: barkha@ndtv.com
Cc: Kamboj Chander; rajkadyan@yahoo.com
Subject: OROP. DENIAL.......A FEINT TO FOOL THE NATION AND HOPING TO PLAY
FIDDLE WHILE...
Dear Barkha,
You have so endeared yourself to the forces by your presence and portrayal
at Kargil that we would like to adopt you as a daughter or the Friend of the
Armed Forces and would recommend the title and permit of a WAR REPORTER.
The furore or the drama enacted to deny OROP or the legitimate disbursement
of awards by the AFTs.Can you ever imagine our own ministry harassing its
own wards? Can it be lieved that the PM or the RRM are oblivious of the fact
that combat units are functioning with 40% of officer strength/Naturally
NCOs &JCOs would be required to perform the duties of the most crucial level
in action which requires the hot blooded,cool thinking and daredevils like
VIKRAM.
To top it the terrorists and separatists object to NCOS or Naiks having to
open fire to disperse hooligans threatening the civilian life and property
and communication systems.Do they expect the NCO to come and salute the
miscreants and request them to become peaceful and get himself killed in the
process.It is already too late not do everything possible to attract
officer material into the forces otherwise the deficiency ofcombat
capability coupled with lack of proper respect and honour of the forces and
veterans will seriously jeopodise defence of the nation.
Can any one ever believe that mighty financial power INDIA cant offer
attractive pay package or OROP to safe guard itself?
Money or the mode of working or disbursement can never be the problem.
An individual must get entitled to a basic minimum pension esp disability
the day he sets out from his house for training centre to join as a recruit,
The rest of the personnel get pension per year of service or part thereof
and rank pension,DA,HARD AREA allowance, combat allowance same as is offered
to civilians being posted to Afganistan etc.THIS WILL TO SOME EXTENT ADDRESS
THE PROBLEM OFNOT GETTING THE SELECTION RADE PROMOTINS.As at least an
officer will not be hurt financially,.This should get uniformly revised
whenever it is done irrespective of the date of retirement for all.THAT IS
ALL THAT OROP IS ALL ABOUT,Happy veterans will love to continue the
tradition of sending their sons to parental units if they are sure they will
be looked after and honoured.The debate shows that a Havildar found it
difficult to look after his family with mere 15,000/- But this is the amount
Majors OF Pre 2006 retirement getting old age has bigger problems that only
money can solve.
The mindset that the Britishers left behind that Indians are not capable of
good governance and a strong and capable Armed Forces will take over soon
Nehru,Menon and otherBrown Sahibs believed this like gospel..Well if it has
not happened in last 60 years it will not happen in future also.But let us
get wiser and not let our guard down.
More than ever before we need strong and effectively functional armed
forces,The proof bof the pudding.....Let Davar proclaim what direction has
the Army taken in terms of manpower or equipment capabilities.We cant say we
cant manage our security, which is a real demon, so let us ousorce it to
OBAMA.He can do it cheaper with his drones and no one will complain since it
will be Amercan drones killing suspects Alternately LET US PULL UP OUR
SOCKS,STOP BICKERING AND BUILD UP A REAL STRONG AND FULLY MANPOWERED FORCE
OF OUR OWN.FULL STRENGTH OF OFFICERS AND NO REQUEST FOR PREMATURE
RETIREMENTS.
THE Congress Party having been at the helm of affairs for 2 terms will have
a lot to pay for, because of its inability to provide a secure climate to
the citizens.
(Members are requested to write their rank and name at the end of their
emai. – Chander Kamboj)
Sent: 12 September 2010 12:25
To: barkha@ndtv.com
Cc: Kamboj Chander; rajkadyan@yahoo.com
Subject: OROP. DENIAL.......A FEINT TO FOOL THE NATION AND HOPING TO PLAY
FIDDLE WHILE...
Dear Barkha,
You have so endeared yourself to the forces by your presence and portrayal
at Kargil that we would like to adopt you as a daughter or the Friend of the
Armed Forces and would recommend the title and permit of a WAR REPORTER.
The furore or the drama enacted to deny OROP or the legitimate disbursement
of awards by the AFTs.Can you ever imagine our own ministry harassing its
own wards? Can it be lieved that the PM or the RRM are oblivious of the fact
that combat units are functioning with 40% of officer strength/Naturally
NCOs &JCOs would be required to perform the duties of the most crucial level
in action which requires the hot blooded,cool thinking and daredevils like
VIKRAM.
To top it the terrorists and separatists object to NCOS or Naiks having to
open fire to disperse hooligans threatening the civilian life and property
and communication systems.Do they expect the NCO to come and salute the
miscreants and request them to become peaceful and get himself killed in the
process.It is already too late not do everything possible to attract
officer material into the forces otherwise the deficiency ofcombat
capability coupled with lack of proper respect and honour of the forces and
veterans will seriously jeopodise defence of the nation.
Can any one ever believe that mighty financial power INDIA cant offer
attractive pay package or OROP to safe guard itself?
Money or the mode of working or disbursement can never be the problem.
An individual must get entitled to a basic minimum pension esp disability
the day he sets out from his house for training centre to join as a recruit,
The rest of the personnel get pension per year of service or part thereof
and rank pension,DA,HARD AREA allowance, combat allowance same as is offered
to civilians being posted to Afganistan etc.THIS WILL TO SOME EXTENT ADDRESS
THE PROBLEM OFNOT GETTING THE SELECTION RADE PROMOTINS.As at least an
officer will not be hurt financially,.This should get uniformly revised
whenever it is done irrespective of the date of retirement for all.THAT IS
ALL THAT OROP IS ALL ABOUT,Happy veterans will love to continue the
tradition of sending their sons to parental units if they are sure they will
be looked after and honoured.The debate shows that a Havildar found it
difficult to look after his family with mere 15,000/- But this is the amount
Majors OF Pre 2006 retirement getting old age has bigger problems that only
money can solve.
The mindset that the Britishers left behind that Indians are not capable of
good governance and a strong and capable Armed Forces will take over soon
Nehru,Menon and otherBrown Sahibs believed this like gospel..Well if it has
not happened in last 60 years it will not happen in future also.But let us
get wiser and not let our guard down.
More than ever before we need strong and effectively functional armed
forces,The proof bof the pudding.....Let Davar proclaim what direction has
the Army taken in terms of manpower or equipment capabilities.We cant say we
cant manage our security, which is a real demon, so let us ousorce it to
OBAMA.He can do it cheaper with his drones and no one will complain since it
will be Amercan drones killing suspects Alternately LET US PULL UP OUR
SOCKS,STOP BICKERING AND BUILD UP A REAL STRONG AND FULLY MANPOWERED FORCE
OF OUR OWN.FULL STRENGTH OF OFFICERS AND NO REQUEST FOR PREMATURE
RETIREMENTS.
THE Congress Party having been at the helm of affairs for 2 terms will have
a lot to pay for, because of its inability to provide a secure climate to
the citizens.
(Members are requested to write their rank and name at the end of their
emai. – Chander Kamboj)
NDTV ..Views by MAj Ravindran
From: Ravindran Major
Sent: 12 September 2010 11:21
To: feedback@ndtv.com
Cc: Barkha Dutt
Subject: [SoldiersForDemocracy] Rank Injustice: One Rank, One Pension
I happened to watch the program 'Rank Injustice: One Rank, One pension' on
NDTV today. I am sorry to say that it was rank injustice to conclude the
program by stating that it requires a more serious debate in Parliament. A
debate in parliament will of course be needed for anything tangible to
happen but a right conclusion to this debate itself was necesary for this
program to have acted like a catalyst for that.
That aside, the discussion did expose how illiterates about matters military
confound and confuse the issues. Firstly there was the former defence
secretary who spoke like a typical bureaucrat- ignorant and arrogant (call
it condescending, if you will) to boot! No, it is not OROP or the emotion
that goes with it that has made me use these dscreptions. If the RTI Act has
succeeded in any way till date, it has been only in exposing the fraud being
perpetuated by the bureaucracy. And I dare say, given their job description
and the competence with which they are seen doing it, the bureaucrats
deserves to be paid less than sepoys of the army! Then there was the
professor who was claiming that it was natural for the younger generation to
earn more than their predecessors! The advocate who spoke seemed to be
interested only in the court cases! (Natural there, isn't it? For, without
litigation, where will she get her moolah from? ) The youngsters who
participated in the show did look better informed and more rational in their
expressions.
Now to present my take on the issue. OROP is definitely not a matter of
honour. It is just about bare minimum justice. Real justice would need not
only OROP but also lateral/re-employment till 60 years of age. On Maslow's
heirarchy of needs, it will be just amoung the basic needs. Honour comes
much higher up. One doubts whether the sycophants, court jestors et al who
overlord our systems can even imagine such needs! Capt Sidhu really did
express the frustration that has afflicted the armed forces community as a
whole, veterans in particular. Let the nation be ware! There need not be any
doubt that the idea of the nation itself is sustained by none other than the
members of the armed forces!
Yours truly
Veteran Major P M Ravindran
2/18, 'Aathria'
Kalpathy-678003
Tel: 0491-2576042
Sent: 12 September 2010 11:21
To: feedback@ndtv.com
Cc: Barkha Dutt
Subject: [SoldiersForDemocracy] Rank Injustice: One Rank, One Pension
I happened to watch the program 'Rank Injustice: One Rank, One pension' on
NDTV today. I am sorry to say that it was rank injustice to conclude the
program by stating that it requires a more serious debate in Parliament. A
debate in parliament will of course be needed for anything tangible to
happen but a right conclusion to this debate itself was necesary for this
program to have acted like a catalyst for that.
That aside, the discussion did expose how illiterates about matters military
confound and confuse the issues. Firstly there was the former defence
secretary who spoke like a typical bureaucrat- ignorant and arrogant (call
it condescending, if you will) to boot! No, it is not OROP or the emotion
that goes with it that has made me use these dscreptions. If the RTI Act has
succeeded in any way till date, it has been only in exposing the fraud being
perpetuated by the bureaucracy. And I dare say, given their job description
and the competence with which they are seen doing it, the bureaucrats
deserves to be paid less than sepoys of the army! Then there was the
professor who was claiming that it was natural for the younger generation to
earn more than their predecessors! The advocate who spoke seemed to be
interested only in the court cases! (Natural there, isn't it? For, without
litigation, where will she get her moolah from? ) The youngsters who
participated in the show did look better informed and more rational in their
expressions.
Now to present my take on the issue. OROP is definitely not a matter of
honour. It is just about bare minimum justice. Real justice would need not
only OROP but also lateral/re-employment till 60 years of age. On Maslow's
heirarchy of needs, it will be just amoung the basic needs. Honour comes
much higher up. One doubts whether the sycophants, court jestors et al who
overlord our systems can even imagine such needs! Capt Sidhu really did
express the frustration that has afflicted the armed forces community as a
whole, veterans in particular. Let the nation be ware! There need not be any
doubt that the idea of the nation itself is sustained by none other than the
members of the armed forces!
Yours truly
Veteran Major P M Ravindran
2/18, 'Aathria'
Kalpathy-678003
Tel: 0491-2576042
NDTV ..Views by Col HS Kaushal
span style="font-weight:bold;">From: col h s kaushal [mailto:colhsk@gmail.com]
Sent: 12 September 2010 13:31
To: REPORT MY SIGNAL (Chander Kamboj)
Subject: NDTV 24X7, OROP
Dear Sir.
Watched the show at NDTV 24x7 by me and many of the ESM and the civilians
whom I informed on phone.
Flooded with thanks for informing them for a wonderful show. Sir, OROP is no
more the concern of only the ESM but it has taken the shape of the NATIONAL
MOVEMENT.
My kudos to Barkha Dutt for having so beautifully conducted the entire show.
She was in complete control of the entire proceedings and her reviewing of
all the speakers and final summing up was worth watching. Special thanks to
all the speakers on behalf of ESM fraternity and specially Mr Rajeev
Chandeshekher, MP Parliament for his forceful support to the cause of ONE
RANK ONE PENSION.
Ferreting out all facts and acting on them with an iron hand is the only way
to ensure that the ESM fraternity doesn’t suffer at the hands of a few
power-drunk fiends, the one exam Babus. Some of the speakers opposing our
legitimate right did fumble out their reasons to the contrary.
It is really important that now we work as hard as we can with each other
and that any kind of the Babus accusation and some of the SUDO ESM finger
need not be worried. IT’S NOW OR NEVER and that shows that when the opposing
forces get worse, that’s not the reason to slink away. On the contrary it’s
a reason to work harder and aim higher.
Credentials of Mr. Davar to be ascertained of his being Capt and the ESM
from the Armed Forces.
Best regards
Lt Col H S Kaushal
Member IESM
Ambala Cantt
Sent: 12 September 2010 13:31
To: REPORT MY SIGNAL (Chander Kamboj)
Subject: NDTV 24X7, OROP
Dear Sir.
Watched the show at NDTV 24x7 by me and many of the ESM and the civilians
whom I informed on phone.
Flooded with thanks for informing them for a wonderful show. Sir, OROP is no
more the concern of only the ESM but it has taken the shape of the NATIONAL
MOVEMENT.
My kudos to Barkha Dutt for having so beautifully conducted the entire show.
She was in complete control of the entire proceedings and her reviewing of
all the speakers and final summing up was worth watching. Special thanks to
all the speakers on behalf of ESM fraternity and specially Mr Rajeev
Chandeshekher, MP Parliament for his forceful support to the cause of ONE
RANK ONE PENSION.
Ferreting out all facts and acting on them with an iron hand is the only way
to ensure that the ESM fraternity doesn’t suffer at the hands of a few
power-drunk fiends, the one exam Babus. Some of the speakers opposing our
legitimate right did fumble out their reasons to the contrary.
It is really important that now we work as hard as we can with each other
and that any kind of the Babus accusation and some of the SUDO ESM finger
need not be worried. IT’S NOW OR NEVER and that shows that when the opposing
forces get worse, that’s not the reason to slink away. On the contrary it’s
a reason to work harder and aim higher.
Credentials of Mr. Davar to be ascertained of his being Capt and the ESM
from the Armed Forces.
Best regards
Lt Col H S Kaushal
Member IESM
Ambala Cantt
NDTV..Views by Capt Mohan Ram IN
From: N.S. Mohanram
Date: 13 September 2010 12:11
Subject: Re: OROP PROGRAMME ON NDTV 24X7, FEED BACK - "REPORT MY SIGNAL" - EMAIL 438/2010 - (H to Z-1) - 12 SEP 2010 (USA CT)
To: "kris prasad(KSK Prasad)"
I watched the debate onTV. It was lively and well moderated by
Barkha Dutt. If there are legal impediments to one rank one pension,
on the grounds it is retrospective, it should apply to Secretries and
corps commanders also. Arguments of legality and affordability are
convenient scapegoats. If we can waste throusands of corres on a
meaningless showpiecel like CWG, I suppose spending some money on
people who risk their life and limb is affordable.
It is clear that despite the standing committee of parliament's
recommendations, the bureaucracy is clearly against that the case.
Comparing firefighters with the army is downright perverse. Also
politicians do not understand the issue. They probably think the
ex-service vote bank is important!
That Major Sidhu had to fight thirty yerars for disability
pension for full ten years and is yet to get relief despite suprme
court verdict, shows the virulence and obduracy bureaucrats and their
tenacity in denying fair treatment to the Armed Forces. Only when
the political class realizes that this continous feeling of resentment
and second class status of the services can some day mutate (I
sincerely hope it does not!) into something more unpleasant, will they
wake up and do something.
Our politicians end up doing the right thing, only after
exhausting all other possible alternatives!
Captain MohanRam
Date: 13 September 2010 12:11
Subject: Re: OROP PROGRAMME ON NDTV 24X7, FEED BACK - "REPORT MY SIGNAL" - EMAIL 438/2010 - (H to Z-1) - 12 SEP 2010 (USA CT)
To: "kris prasad(KSK Prasad)"
I watched the debate onTV. It was lively and well moderated by
Barkha Dutt. If there are legal impediments to one rank one pension,
on the grounds it is retrospective, it should apply to Secretries and
corps commanders also. Arguments of legality and affordability are
convenient scapegoats. If we can waste throusands of corres on a
meaningless showpiecel like CWG, I suppose spending some money on
people who risk their life and limb is affordable.
It is clear that despite the standing committee of parliament's
recommendations, the bureaucracy is clearly against that the case.
Comparing firefighters with the army is downright perverse. Also
politicians do not understand the issue. They probably think the
ex-service vote bank is important!
That Major Sidhu had to fight thirty yerars for disability
pension for full ten years and is yet to get relief despite suprme
court verdict, shows the virulence and obduracy bureaucrats and their
tenacity in denying fair treatment to the Armed Forces. Only when
the political class realizes that this continous feeling of resentment
and second class status of the services can some day mutate (I
sincerely hope it does not!) into something more unpleasant, will they
wake up and do something.
Our politicians end up doing the right thing, only after
exhausting all other possible alternatives!
Captain MohanRam
NDTV ...Views of Maj Gen VK Singh
From: vinay singh [mailto:vinay16318@yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 13 September 2010 05:29
To: REPORT MY SIGNAL(CS Kamboj)
Subject: Beware of the babu - Sarojini Naidu's letter to Nathu Singh
Dear Brigadier Kamboj,
I saw the NDTV programme on NDTV 24X7. I think the bureaucrats and lawyers had no answers to the arguments advanced by Gen Oberoi, Gen Kadyan, Mr Chandra Sekhar, MP and Manvendra Singh, ex- MP. No one had an answer for the reasons for MPs, judges and Secretaries getting OROP. The fact that it isthe babus who have sabotaged it is now too well known to bear repetition.
The fear that the bureaucracy would ruin this country was foreseen even before Independence. I am giving below an extract of the letter written by Sarojini Naidu to Brig Thakur Nathu Singh, who was then the Director Personnel Services, in the Adjutant General's Branch in Army HQ, which was then located at Meerut. This was shortly after Nathu Singh had been offered the post of C-in-C by Sardar Baldev Singh, the Defence Minister. Sarojini Naidu and Nathu Singh had given evidence before the Skeen Committee on the same day, and had become quite close to each other. Sarojini insisted that Nathu Singh should call her 'Mah' (Mother), and that is the way she signed her letters to him. The two often corresponded, and at this juncture, he wrote to her, about the problems facing the Country, and nationalisation of the Army. Sarojini Naidu responded, on 9 January 1947, and wrote:
"Dear Nathoo Singh,
Many Thanks for sending me your very illuminating 'Shot in the dark'. It gives a correct picture of the situation from every angle.
.....As the security of the country depends entirely upon the Army, the army should not be based on what the country can afford to have for its defence. It will be fatal to rely on a small armed force, however efficient and modernly equipped it may be; because our country is vulnerable, bristling with traitors and the fifth columnists, in millions in every part of India. We all know the character and honesty of our potential enemies and so called friends.
Our leaders should get advice from us Indians in the army and other branches..... and not repeat not from hirelings, who have their own axes to grind;....
One thing more, probably you have noticed but have not mentioned; is how the army is at a disadvantage because of that 'steel frame', who wants to have the last word in everything pertaining to the Army. That steel frame must go.
Once again, many thanks for sending me the most illuminating 'Shot in the Dark.'
Yours
Mah
Two very important points emerge from the letter. One, the argument that funds are not enough should never be a consideration when deciding the size and quality of the Army. Second, the propensity of the bureaucrat to keep the military out of the decision making process was known even then, by the political class. Unfortunately for us, the steel frame did not go. In fact, it has become stronger.
Maj Gen VK Singh
Sent: 13 September 2010 05:29
To: REPORT MY SIGNAL(CS Kamboj)
Subject: Beware of the babu - Sarojini Naidu's letter to Nathu Singh
Dear Brigadier Kamboj,
I saw the NDTV programme on NDTV 24X7. I think the bureaucrats and lawyers had no answers to the arguments advanced by Gen Oberoi, Gen Kadyan, Mr Chandra Sekhar, MP and Manvendra Singh, ex- MP. No one had an answer for the reasons for MPs, judges and Secretaries getting OROP. The fact that it isthe babus who have sabotaged it is now too well known to bear repetition.
The fear that the bureaucracy would ruin this country was foreseen even before Independence. I am giving below an extract of the letter written by Sarojini Naidu to Brig Thakur Nathu Singh, who was then the Director Personnel Services, in the Adjutant General's Branch in Army HQ, which was then located at Meerut. This was shortly after Nathu Singh had been offered the post of C-in-C by Sardar Baldev Singh, the Defence Minister. Sarojini Naidu and Nathu Singh had given evidence before the Skeen Committee on the same day, and had become quite close to each other. Sarojini insisted that Nathu Singh should call her 'Mah' (Mother), and that is the way she signed her letters to him. The two often corresponded, and at this juncture, he wrote to her, about the problems facing the Country, and nationalisation of the Army. Sarojini Naidu responded, on 9 January 1947, and wrote:
"Dear Nathoo Singh,
Many Thanks for sending me your very illuminating 'Shot in the dark'. It gives a correct picture of the situation from every angle.
.....As the security of the country depends entirely upon the Army, the army should not be based on what the country can afford to have for its defence. It will be fatal to rely on a small armed force, however efficient and modernly equipped it may be; because our country is vulnerable, bristling with traitors and the fifth columnists, in millions in every part of India. We all know the character and honesty of our potential enemies and so called friends.
Our leaders should get advice from us Indians in the army and other branches..... and not repeat not from hirelings, who have their own axes to grind;....
One thing more, probably you have noticed but have not mentioned; is how the army is at a disadvantage because of that 'steel frame', who wants to have the last word in everything pertaining to the Army. That steel frame must go.
Once again, many thanks for sending me the most illuminating 'Shot in the Dark.'
Yours
Mah
Two very important points emerge from the letter. One, the argument that funds are not enough should never be a consideration when deciding the size and quality of the Army. Second, the propensity of the bureaucrat to keep the military out of the decision making process was known even then, by the political class. Unfortunately for us, the steel frame did not go. In fact, it has become stronger.
Maj Gen VK Singh
Monday, September 13, 2010
NDTV Views by Lt Gen Vinay Shankar
From: LT GEN VINAY SHANKAR rekhavinayshankar@hotmail.com
Sent: 12 September 2010 11:19
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-2) - 11 SEP 2010 (USA CT)
Dear Chander,
After listening to "We the People" this evening two brief points that our movement could make as the struggle continues.
First every direct entry IAS and IPS officer goes home as secretary to GOI or equivalent. If he or she does not get the rank at the center they get it in their respective states. We all know the number of DGs and principle secretaries that each has. A little research may establish that this is true for even Defense accounts and for that matter all other Class 1 services. The exceptions could be only those who enter service at ages beyond 26 years or thereabouts. An RTI could prove my point. And this also explains why only the defense services are agitating.
Second is the uniqueness of our service ( a point adequately emphasized). Everyone else is a mister or Mrs during service and after retirement. The defense services have been given the privilege to carry their rank till the last post is blown and after. So comparisons should be avoided.
A big hand to all those who spoke on our behalf.
Warm regards
Vinay (Lt Gen Vinay Shankar, Former DG Arty)
Sent: 12 September 2010 11:19
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-2) - 11 SEP 2010 (USA CT)
Dear Chander,
After listening to "We the People" this evening two brief points that our movement could make as the struggle continues.
First every direct entry IAS and IPS officer goes home as secretary to GOI or equivalent. If he or she does not get the rank at the center they get it in their respective states. We all know the number of DGs and principle secretaries that each has. A little research may establish that this is true for even Defense accounts and for that matter all other Class 1 services. The exceptions could be only those who enter service at ages beyond 26 years or thereabouts. An RTI could prove my point. And this also explains why only the defense services are agitating.
Second is the uniqueness of our service ( a point adequately emphasized). Everyone else is a mister or Mrs during service and after retirement. The defense services have been given the privilege to carry their rank till the last post is blown and after. So comparisons should be avoided.
A big hand to all those who spoke on our behalf.
Warm regards
Vinay (Lt Gen Vinay Shankar, Former DG Arty)
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
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
NDTV ...RANK INJUSTICE- OROP by Col Raman
RANK INJUSTICE- OROP
The much awaited & much heralded NDTV programme on OROP was telecast to the satisfaction of the ESM, on schedule.
We were fortunate to have all the high ranking Veteran Officers, who are deeply involved with the issue, taking part in the debate. Of course, Rajeev Chandra Sekhar, MP, who is more dedicated than some of the ESM themselves for the cause, was on Video Conference mode. His contribution to the debate, having established his moral superiority in refusing the Pay Hike, was in full view. All the participants did a commendable job.
Barkha Datt, played the role of third umpire to full satisfaction, steering the debate away from the emotional plane, to the path of sensibility.
Davar was true to his political masters. He never wavered. His contention that the Govt has already brought the pre 2006 retiree PBOR at par with the post 2006, was straight away rejected by Gen Oberoi, who pointed out the actual pensions of sepoys of both the categories. Though the usage of the term PBOR was objected to by (Hony) Lt Pandey, for ease of progressing the debate, the anchor suggested that they continue with the term. Davar also explained that the RM has said that the issue could be resolved over a period of time. “Why not now” was the chorus of protest from the Veterans. He also highlighted that the Separate Pay Commission will be formed in next four years, when issue of OROP to Veteran Officers will also be resolved. Shri Chandra Sekhar promptly cautioned him NOT to create rift between the Officers & PBOR. The Officers form not more than 2 % of the Veterans.
At the outset, Lt Gen Raj Kadyan explained that “the demand for OROP is not new. It was in vogue earlier. From 1982, this has been our consistent demand. It is not for extra emoluments alone, as being interpreted by some people. It is for the restoration of honour & equity amongst the ranks, irrespective of their dates of retirement.
The former Defence Secretary, Indu Libheran was the first to express her reservations. In her opinion, the demand of OROP will create more problems, than solving a few anomalies. Asking for better compensation package for the early retirement, for the risk factor & hazardous service conditions, may well be within the cards. OROP per say may not be legally tenable.
Prof (Dr) Ajay Shah also echoed the same sentiment. He said that in the present day conditions, a son drawing more pay than his father, for the same employment, is quite usual. However, his comparison of a Fire Fighter from a Fire Brigade facing similar risk of a soldier, was laughable. He was also put down effectively by Veteran Manavendra Singh, stating that the Fire Man has a choice in entering a burning building. But a soldier, in action always enters the burning building, because it is his duty. ( My Comment-If that was the comparison, we could never have captured the lofty heights in Kargil. Officers & men literally went into battle with death staring at them, at every step- Bharka Datt was an eye witness-)
Capt Siddhu’s introduction into the debate, though well received on the emotional plane, could not add weight to the issue of OROP. Gen Oberoi did clarify the plight of disabled Veterans like him, explaining that their pension has two components- the service & percentage of disability. One young girl pointed out that how could a disabled Soldier look after his family when the pension was not even sufficient to maintain himself. Siddhu made a pertinent point about how the IAS & IPS officers make rules only to safe guard their interests & protect OROP for their cadres. Indu Libheran pointed out that all IAS & IPS Officers do not retire with OROP. Where ever the Pay Scales are fixed they retire at a particular level, within the scale.
Cmde Udai Bhaskar mentioned about his experience with Indra Gandhi, where she initially agreed to discuss the issue of OROP within the Cabinet but could not do so. He also mentioned that the increase in the Pay of MPs was not resented to, but the manner in which they enforced it was deplorable.
Ms Pinky Anand, Senior Lawyer of SC, cautioned that if OROP is implemented, there is likely to be a spate of litigations. She also questioned as to how we can have OROP, when the jobs performed are not equal?
Prof Ajai also was of the same opinion. He further refined it by stating that how the honour component fit in, when what the Veterans are asking really means better compensation for the reasons they have brought out.
My own assessment of the debate.
Dear Veterans, the debate was well received by the ESM community. More than 95 % of the audience present were Veterans or their dependents. Very few from outside our fraternity would have watched the show. However, it was a grand success. Barkha Datt palmed it off to the Parliament, for more serious discussion & decision.
Without getting emotional, we have to further stream line our next encounter.
Questions raised by the Civilian Dignitaries who were present.
a. All Civilian Cadre Officers do not get OROP. Apart from a few categories of Judiciary, Central Govt employees, MPs, Defence Service Officers & the likes, others are not covered by this criterion.
b. There was no qualm on seeking better compensation package to off set early retirement, hazards of service, difficulty due to weather & climatic conditions, separation from the family et al. But seeking OROP & liking honour as a factor, was not understood by them.
c. As the Lawyer raised the query, how can OROP demanded for all even though the jobs performed are not equal. She was of the opinion that it was not legally tenable.
These questions may be repeated in future also. The study team may consider these aspects & prepare for suitable clarifications.
Regards & Best Wishes,
Veteran Raman
Col (Retd) TN Raman
E5/230, AWHO Parameswaran Vihar,
67, Arcot Road, Saligramam,
Chennai 600093
Ph: 044-42013210
Mob: 0- 9840033326
The much awaited & much heralded NDTV programme on OROP was telecast to the satisfaction of the ESM, on schedule.
We were fortunate to have all the high ranking Veteran Officers, who are deeply involved with the issue, taking part in the debate. Of course, Rajeev Chandra Sekhar, MP, who is more dedicated than some of the ESM themselves for the cause, was on Video Conference mode. His contribution to the debate, having established his moral superiority in refusing the Pay Hike, was in full view. All the participants did a commendable job.
Barkha Datt, played the role of third umpire to full satisfaction, steering the debate away from the emotional plane, to the path of sensibility.
Davar was true to his political masters. He never wavered. His contention that the Govt has already brought the pre 2006 retiree PBOR at par with the post 2006, was straight away rejected by Gen Oberoi, who pointed out the actual pensions of sepoys of both the categories. Though the usage of the term PBOR was objected to by (Hony) Lt Pandey, for ease of progressing the debate, the anchor suggested that they continue with the term. Davar also explained that the RM has said that the issue could be resolved over a period of time. “Why not now” was the chorus of protest from the Veterans. He also highlighted that the Separate Pay Commission will be formed in next four years, when issue of OROP to Veteran Officers will also be resolved. Shri Chandra Sekhar promptly cautioned him NOT to create rift between the Officers & PBOR. The Officers form not more than 2 % of the Veterans.
At the outset, Lt Gen Raj Kadyan explained that “the demand for OROP is not new. It was in vogue earlier. From 1982, this has been our consistent demand. It is not for extra emoluments alone, as being interpreted by some people. It is for the restoration of honour & equity amongst the ranks, irrespective of their dates of retirement.
The former Defence Secretary, Indu Libheran was the first to express her reservations. In her opinion, the demand of OROP will create more problems, than solving a few anomalies. Asking for better compensation package for the early retirement, for the risk factor & hazardous service conditions, may well be within the cards. OROP per say may not be legally tenable.
Prof (Dr) Ajay Shah also echoed the same sentiment. He said that in the present day conditions, a son drawing more pay than his father, for the same employment, is quite usual. However, his comparison of a Fire Fighter from a Fire Brigade facing similar risk of a soldier, was laughable. He was also put down effectively by Veteran Manavendra Singh, stating that the Fire Man has a choice in entering a burning building. But a soldier, in action always enters the burning building, because it is his duty. ( My Comment-If that was the comparison, we could never have captured the lofty heights in Kargil. Officers & men literally went into battle with death staring at them, at every step- Bharka Datt was an eye witness-)
Capt Siddhu’s introduction into the debate, though well received on the emotional plane, could not add weight to the issue of OROP. Gen Oberoi did clarify the plight of disabled Veterans like him, explaining that their pension has two components- the service & percentage of disability. One young girl pointed out that how could a disabled Soldier look after his family when the pension was not even sufficient to maintain himself. Siddhu made a pertinent point about how the IAS & IPS officers make rules only to safe guard their interests & protect OROP for their cadres. Indu Libheran pointed out that all IAS & IPS Officers do not retire with OROP. Where ever the Pay Scales are fixed they retire at a particular level, within the scale.
Cmde Udai Bhaskar mentioned about his experience with Indra Gandhi, where she initially agreed to discuss the issue of OROP within the Cabinet but could not do so. He also mentioned that the increase in the Pay of MPs was not resented to, but the manner in which they enforced it was deplorable.
Ms Pinky Anand, Senior Lawyer of SC, cautioned that if OROP is implemented, there is likely to be a spate of litigations. She also questioned as to how we can have OROP, when the jobs performed are not equal?
Prof Ajai also was of the same opinion. He further refined it by stating that how the honour component fit in, when what the Veterans are asking really means better compensation for the reasons they have brought out.
My own assessment of the debate.
Dear Veterans, the debate was well received by the ESM community. More than 95 % of the audience present were Veterans or their dependents. Very few from outside our fraternity would have watched the show. However, it was a grand success. Barkha Datt palmed it off to the Parliament, for more serious discussion & decision.
Without getting emotional, we have to further stream line our next encounter.
Questions raised by the Civilian Dignitaries who were present.
a. All Civilian Cadre Officers do not get OROP. Apart from a few categories of Judiciary, Central Govt employees, MPs, Defence Service Officers & the likes, others are not covered by this criterion.
b. There was no qualm on seeking better compensation package to off set early retirement, hazards of service, difficulty due to weather & climatic conditions, separation from the family et al. But seeking OROP & liking honour as a factor, was not understood by them.
c. As the Lawyer raised the query, how can OROP demanded for all even though the jobs performed are not equal. She was of the opinion that it was not legally tenable.
These questions may be repeated in future also. The study team may consider these aspects & prepare for suitable clarifications.
Regards & Best Wishes,
Veteran Raman
Col (Retd) TN Raman
E5/230, AWHO Parameswaran Vihar,
67, Arcot Road, Saligramam,
Chennai 600093
Ph: 044-42013210
Mob: 0- 9840033326
NDTV Views by Col Kala
From: mmp kala [mailto:mmp_kala@yahoo.com]
Sent: 12 September 2010 13:14
To: genoberoi@gmail.com; Kamboj Chander; Raj Kadyan
Cc: brig kuthiala; kaul_rattan@hotmail.com
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 General,
I watched the programme, and it was heartening that you brought out the issues logically, firmly and vociferously. I am attaching a paper written by me, and a proposed draft Advertisement for publicity, as and when. we decide to go to the Judiciary for redressal of grievances (appended below). I wish that the issues of length of service for which the pension is being granted to various ranks AND ITS PURCHASE POWER IN TERMS OF GOLD (STANDARD FOR MONETARY TRANSACTIONS) was brought out by some one . We would be happy with our old pensions if the Government maintained its purchasing power in terms of gold at that time; post first pay commission, pension of a Major would fetch some 65 plus gram of gold, will the Govt grant those Majors over Rs 1.25 lacs as pension?.
Sir, it appears that a separate pay commission for soldiers will be convened in 2016. How many of us won't be there at that time? We are fighting for our rights and justice now. Should one pronouncement of the Government deny us justice for another six to eight years plus?
Lastly, do you not think that the Government leaves us no option but to approach the Judiciary for justice? And if yes, then let us prepare a case as early as possible and have all two million plus ex-servicemen as litigants.
With best regards,
Col Kala
Sent: 12 September 2010 13:14
To: genoberoi@gmail.com; Kamboj Chander; Raj Kadyan
Cc: brig kuthiala; kaul_rattan@hotmail.com
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 General,
I watched the programme, and it was heartening that you brought out the issues logically, firmly and vociferously. I am attaching a paper written by me, and a proposed draft Advertisement for publicity, as and when. we decide to go to the Judiciary for redressal of grievances (appended below). I wish that the issues of length of service for which the pension is being granted to various ranks AND ITS PURCHASE POWER IN TERMS OF GOLD (STANDARD FOR MONETARY TRANSACTIONS) was brought out by some one . We would be happy with our old pensions if the Government maintained its purchasing power in terms of gold at that time; post first pay commission, pension of a Major would fetch some 65 plus gram of gold, will the Govt grant those Majors over Rs 1.25 lacs as pension?.
Sir, it appears that a separate pay commission for soldiers will be convened in 2016. How many of us won't be there at that time? We are fighting for our rights and justice now. Should one pronouncement of the Government deny us justice for another six to eight years plus?
Lastly, do you not think that the Government leaves us no option but to approach the Judiciary for justice? And if yes, then let us prepare a case as early as possible and have all two million plus ex-servicemen as litigants.
With best regards,
Col Kala
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Befitting reply by Lt Col Inderjit Singh on OROP Struggle
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Inderjit Singh
Date: Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Subject: FW: TUM MUJHE KHOON DO MAIN TUMHE OROP DOONGA
To: dk.sahrawat@gmail.com
cc:
Dear Mr Sehrawat and all the Veteran Friends
I am distressed to go through this misleading mail worked out to defame the Most patriotic community of the nation. A community that is ever ready to Sacrifice every thing including their lives for the unity integrity and Independence of the motherland. How sad. Coming from people who have done nothing but plundered the nation makes it disgusting.
I must tell you that i am the author of this concept of orop. I was the first Man to take it up with indiraji on 22 feb 1982. After that pursued it all the time and am still at it. We were instrumental for every step taken by successive Govts. If i said that the history of my association is the history of the welfare Measures by the govts i would not be exaggerating. You should therefore grant Me that i should know more about this matter than you who has sent this pack Of lies and half truths in the shape of misleading presentation for us to swallow.
From the tenor and tone of the mail it seems that mr sehrawat you proabely are a member of the elitist group of the natons services, if not then perhaps
There proxy for sending this rubbish. What can we expect from you but this absolute distortion of facts. When your colleagues can go to the Sacred house of parliament and speak lies and get away. How does it matter if you spoke few lies here and there and distort the facts in this mail.
If you want to see the lies spoken by your colleagues, we can have a separate meeting For that, for one can not cover those in any mail what ever one likes to do.
Now your basic lies that you have tried to impress us with. What I state is not heresay or things picked up from here and there. It is personal knowledge acquired by 30 years of dedicated work for this cause and After having forced the government to appoint these committees, been member of every committee appointed by the government except the inter ministerial ones you mentioned for obvious reasons.
A) it is right that the estimates committee had considered this on their own in 1982. They however did not reject it, on the contrary they desired that it be
Considered favorably. This kind of recommendaton lands the matter in the lap Of your colleagues. Once it comes there you play merry hell into it as they did with this report.
B) this issue was raised by us first time on 22 feb 1982 when I landed with 5000 Veterans at the pm's residence and presented the first ever memorandum which had five points, OROP being the top one. Indiraji was busy that day, so Rajivji accepted the memorandum on her behalf and promised to see that it was
accepted.
We held another rally in honour of respected Indiraji on 25 june 1983, she promised to do it in one go if the monsoon that year was normal and in phases if necessary. Soon after we announced 10,000.00 war medals return to the President of India and our C in C on 15 august 1983.
I was invited by Mr Venkataraman the RM on 10 August 1983 where I suggested that a committee or a commission be appointed to go into the entire gamut of
our problems and solve these. The RM took it to Indiraji and informed me that our suggestion had been accepted by her for appointment of a high level Committee. On this we dropped the idea of medals return.
This committee was headed by the RRM Mr KP Singhdeo. I was a special invitee for this committee. It made far reaching 68 recommendations covering all aspects. OROP was strongly recommended by them for consideration of the Govt and not as you have suggested its reference to the fourth CPC. This report was presented to the prime minister two days before her assassination. To our great misfortune she was snatched away by destiny.
Otherwise we would have got it in 1984. She was one leader who could put your colleagues where they belonged and fulfilled her promise given on 25 June 1983 to us.
This report then landed in the hands of your colleagues. Do you know what they did. They accepted 52 recommendations like we should maintain discipline in Society, and rejeected 16 of these which gave us any tangible benefits. OROP being the first one. To give you an idea about how low you can go I narrate.
One recommendation said orop should be accepted. Then the next one was that after this was accepted all special facilities given to ex servicemen should be
withdrawn. They accepted the second one without accepting the OROP. Ha ha ha. Isnt that amusing ?
C) I must educate you before proceeding further about a High Level Empowered Committee (HLEC). This is not a recommendatory committee, it is an empowered
Committee whose recommendations are final for implementation. The fact that you are bigger than them is a different matter.
The biggest lie you have spoken is that hgh level empowered committee Rejected orop and gave one time increase (OTI),
First let me put you wise about how this committee came about. In 1991 the Congress govt was heading a minority government. The opposition was
motivated by some politically motivated and misguided elements to move a resolution in parliament that if the govt did not immediately accept to implement vp singh govts ad hoc increase formula they will pull down the govt. This formula I had termed as betrayal of trust by Sh VP Singh the previous PM. Its implementation would have been disastrous for us. I moved swiftly to stop it. Walked into Mr Pawars office and demanded OROP instead. After heated exchanges he accepted my request for reconsideration. After another meeting and discussion he went to the parliament and announced the HLEC to improve the pensions.
I was made a member of this HLEC.
This committee was very inclined to give OROP but the economic conditions in which we sent our gold to UK to run the country prevented that. What was
given brought us almost there.
The bureaucrats wanted a clause to reject the OROP but I strongly opposed it. This was as a result not commented upon so that it did not close the door for its consideration and grant in future.
Despite the total opposition from the bureaucrats, the award of this Committee was very good. This award had to be converted into notification for implementation by the bureaucrats. You know what they did.
The notification did not even give 1/3 of what was given by the HELC . What they could not achieve during the proceedings of the committee they tried to
achieve it through the notification.
I took up the matter with the rm mr sharad pawar. He immediately appointed an anomalies removal committee again of bureaucrats. You know what they did. They created even more complicated anomalies that I could only have removed through the Fifth CPC.
After their experiences in the high level empowered committee where we did not let the bureaucrats get away with their lies they probably vowed never to
have such a committee in which we are represented. So far they have succeeded in this matter. They started the new system of having inter ministerial committees or group of ministers (GOM). Of these committees they never told us their composition or their charter. Nor did they tell us when they were meeting.
D) Your all information is wrong and inadequuate. The decision of the govt on fifth cpc report came on 18 july 1997. It gave modified parity to all govt servants including the Armed forces. We started an agitaional program at the red fort on 22 august 1997 that lasted for 107 days. We were seeking full parity which in other words meant OROP. On the second day the PM Mr gujral called for a meeting with me where I explained to him the entire problem. He promised to examine the matter and come back.
During this period we had three major rallies, besides indefinite fasts, medal returns and relay fasts. Ultimately a meeting with the Defence Secretary was fixed for 03 nov 1997. The secretary had been empowered by the PM to accept our three to four major demands for implementation after approval of the cabinet and rest could follow in normal routine. OROP and removal of 33 years conditionality were the ones accepted besides two more for implementation. The defence secretary reqested me to give him a paper on these four accepted demands which he could put up straight to the cabinet. I gave him the paper the next day.
The bureaucrats did not put these up quickly enough. Then to our misfortune the govt fell and the matter went into tizzy again.
The next govt took over. I gave seven demands to the next PM Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee. My meeting was fixed with him on 26 july 2001. In that meeting he
accepted three demands and for the remaining four he appointed a committee headed by the RM, which was to give its report in three months. This committee never met for over six months and after that the RM wrote to me rejecting all the demands. We then called a rally at the Ram Lila Ground on feb 23 2003. On this rally we invited the chairman of the defence committee Mr Madan Lal Khurana. He promised to invite me to Parliament and after understanding the matter do every thing possible to help us.
Presentation they made a very strong report to the govt demanding that OROP be granted.
The bureaucrats formed an inter ministerial committee to find ways and means to reject the defense committee report. In their action taken report (ATR) they spoke blatant lies to reject the report.
In the meantime the govt changed. The new chairman of the defense committee called me to understand the mess created by this report. It was disgusting to see the level your clan had stooped to somehow reject our demands so strongly recommended by the committee. I picked up eleven major lies out of the report and submitted the paper to the chairman. On this he made another strong recommendation for its grant rejecting the ATR and as submitted by me asked for a high level empowered committee in which we were represented to resolve the issue.
I hope you now understand when this committee was formed and what they did.
E) After the second report of the defense committee the govt appointed a group of ministers (GOM), headed by Mr Pranab Mukherji the RM, to re examine the matter in may 2005 and not in jan 2005 as you have mentioned. This was not acceptable to me so I went to see the RM and told him so. He asked why I did not accept it.
I asked him in turn what was he going to base his recommendations on. Obviously what the bureaucrats put up to him. I gave him the paper on what lies hey spoke in the parliament and pointed out that if they could speak such lies in the parliament they were not going to say anything different to him. The result of such an exercise is a foregone conclusion. You would reject these submissions of ours. He was kind to tell me that the reference for this committee had come from PM’s office, he therefore could not change the format, but promised to invite me for presentation before he made his report. I then accepted to go along. When the bureaucrats learnt about it they went into action to scuttle my presentation. When i realized this I went and met the RM and requested him to stop the mischief of the bureaucrats, hold the meeting for my presentation and then give his award as the entire country's ex servicemen were waiting for the award.
I got the greatest shock of my life when he told me that he could not invite me. The bigger shock was to find such a senior minister like Mr Pranab Mukherji not being able to flfill his simple promise to hear me.
I wondered what could be the helplessness of the other ministers in front of these true masters of the nation .
Shocked and astonished i worked up my way to Soniaji with the help of my benevolent friend Mr KP Singhdeo and sought her intervention to save the day for us. Her kind intervention resulted in the govt announcing Parity with the fifth cpc rates on 25 jan 2006. In other words orop with fifth cpc rates.
This means that the GOM did not reject the OROP, they put the entire processes right by giving parity with the Fifth cpc rates and set a precedence for all future pay commissions to give armed forces parity with Their rates, in other words OROP.
I hope you now understand this matter better. In case you dont i can personally come and further clarify your doubts so that you do not make such sweeping statements in future.
F) The sixth pay commission stated what suited them to deny us the rightful dues. When i went to make my presentation they were working on the same assumption quietly supressing the fact of parity with fifth cpc rates given to the armed forces by this GOM. I clarified this to them and demanded that they have to maintain this precedence by giving us parity now with sixth cpc rates. When the report came i was shocked to see that they have continued with their canard of the fifth cpc and ignored the gom award.
I called them and was told that they have consciously taken the decision not to give parity with sixth cpc rates.
Obviously they had to do that to justify their mischief.
G) Well if the govt improved the pensions in the budget what is so great about it. They have done it for you as well. On the contrary the govt had failed to give the armed forces their rightful dues by not giving OROP.
Not only that what the govt has given is totally demeaning because they have totally downgraded the status of the armed forces.
SUPREME COURT EXAMINATION OF OROP. NAKRA CASE
It seems that you believe in the adage that if you continue to speak the same lie, a stage will come when every body would start accepting it as truth.
Let me educate you on this matter before i proceed. The nakra case was that the liberalized formula sanctioned by the government should be applied to all irrespective of date of retirement. The liberalized formula said that penson should be fifty percent of last pay drawn. The organization which filed this case, less said about them the better. They are actually the cause of our miserable plight. Some highly intelligent members of that organization, without applying their minds, filed the supreme court case saying that the govt had committed contempt of court by not granting us the orop on account of this ruling.
The court then proceeded to examine if the orop came under the ambit of the rulng on liberalized formula.
A word about these two things. Liberalized formula meant giving fifty per cent of last pay drawn as pension. That means whatever salary one was getting at the time of retirement he gets fifty percent of that salary only. Since at different points of time men got different rates of salary so they could only get different rates of pension under the purview of this order. The orop means that same rank personnel got the same pension irrespective of date of retirement.
How could they then get same pension for same rank under this order.. The court very rightly concluded that orop does not fall under the ambit of nakra case. The govt have therefore not violated their order. It was therefore dismissed. The govt in actual practice had given more than the liberalized formula gave by bringing all the sepoys to rs 150.00 pm pension even to those who drew far too less a salary and were drawing rs 4 and later rs 17 as pensions.
It was not orop that was rejected, in fact the contempt case was rejected. These gentlemen asked a wrong question from the court and got a wrong answer.
This case has not done any good for us, on the contrary this case has left a permanent handle in the hands of your colleagues to flaunt to the unwary leadership and have this matter rejected every time it comes up.
PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR THEIR NATION
The leadershp of the tiniest nation Singapore and the mightiest one USA , get on house tops and blair away that they would give the best tangible and non tangible benefits to that section of the society who do the most difficult job for the nation. Then they go onto elaborate that it is the armed forces which are doing the most difficult task for the nation and they would therefore get the best of tangble and non tangible benefits and then they give it with pride. What happens in our country. When the nation is confronted by a calamity natural or man made the armed forces are brought and squeezed to the hilt and after the job is done they are hanged on the nearest pole till they are dead.
IN A MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE VOLUNTARY agencies (scova) in the ministry of pensions, I was asked as to what are our demands. I after narrating the above facts told them I seek attitudinal change of the bureaucracy from hanging the armed forces to the nearest pole to gving them the best, every thing will be covered. There was a total furore and protestations but no answer given. You want to know what means you employ to deny us our rightful dues ? I can tell you separately if you so desire.
For your benefit i wish to tell you that the usa gives OROP to the armed forces and not to the civilians. Further the armed forces pensions are fully paid by the govt. The armed forces are entitled to 50 % of their last pay drawn as pension after 20 years service. The civilians pensions on the other hand are contributory. They pay 7 % of their emoluments all their life to get 33% of their last pay drawn as pension that too after 30 years service. No wonder that they are the greatest power on earth today. Can you match that great power. I dont think so unless you change your attitude towards the armed forces and not advance the ridiculous argument of we knowing the terms and condition before joining to justify your hostile and petty conduct.
I am glad i was able to have the civilians pensions converted to contributory scheme in 2001 while protecting those of the armed forces. I am however very vary of this trend continuing with the kind of games you can play.
POVERTY LINE
You have given some figures on poverty and want responsible persons to be concerned about it. You obviously claim to be the most responsible citizen of the nation, what you do is a different matter. Why do you not forego your salaries my friend. What do you need your salaries for. Your all needs are taken care of by other means the moment you take charge of your first appointment. Let us see you being the first volunteer doing this being so concerned about the state of affairs in the country.
Please tell me are the armed forces the only people who should be squeezed to save the nation from economic disaster. I suppose you think so that is why thngs like fixing of disability pension for armed forces is worked out less than the civilians besides making the procedure for entitlement much more difficult than that of the civilians. If the savings are still not enough then you grant them from a much later date. There are hundreds of such examples.
CIVILIANS WILL DEMAND OROP
Now the argument that the civilians will also demand orop and if not granted they would go to the court to claim it. This is the argument you advance finally to scuttle the efforts of the leadership. This is the bigget canard that i keep hearing. I have been interacting with major civilian unions. All of them have always been ready to support us for this cause and that too without demanding for themselves. For your information when in 1991 we were given OTI the civilians also demanded it but when told that this was for the armed forces only they as true patriots did not insist. Similar thing happened when in 2006 the govt granted parity with fifth cpc to us.
In case some people inspired by you people do go to the court for redressal they will certainly be welcome. The courts will also be ready to give them but then the courts will also tell them that the armed forces have been given these special privileges for their peculiar and difficult service conditions. They would then go on to tell them that they were willing to concede OROP to them if they were prepared to accept their service conditions also. Who among any of your colleagues are prepared to shed your position and accept these conditions. None. I am saying this because i have had an opportunity to settle this matter during the proceedings of the hlec in 1991.
There was an argument and the civilian big wigs wanted for themselves also what was being worked out for us. When nothng was resolving the issue i proposed that one chance each be given to the entire civil and armed forces personnel to change their service to the other if they so desired. Once that is given i said i bet my life that 100 % armed forces personnel would like to switch over and not one of the civilians would opt for the armed forces. There was a total furore but none to take up the challenge. They were not small fries, they were secretaries of all the ministries.
Finally since when have you started to know more about the feelings and pulse of the people more than the leadership. Every committee of the leadership have recommended strongly that orop be granted. The defense committee went to the extent of demanding that if there was no precedence then it should now be set to repay the deep debt of gratitude of the grateful nation to the armed forces for their sacrifices. Do you know this or not? Further do you know that almost 500 hon'ble members of parliament are committed through their party manifestos for giving the orop to the armed forces.
I suppose you dont care for these minions for you are not only bigger then them but also the nation.
I hope after going through this mail you would think on this matter and bring about attitudinal change not only within you but also the entire bureaucracy.
Sorry for taking too long in responding. It was too big an issue it had to take time even in the normal course. This mail was an attempt to demean us so it had to be given a special attention . Please therefore forgive me.
I have spent extra time so that i put down facts to enable our own veterans to know them and be able to give proper reply when required.
God bless you mr sehrawat and all my veterans.
Inderjit singh
From: Inderjit Singh
Date: Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Subject: FW: TUM MUJHE KHOON DO MAIN TUMHE OROP DOONGA
To: dk.sahrawat@gmail.com
cc:
Dear Mr Sehrawat and all the Veteran Friends
I am distressed to go through this misleading mail worked out to defame the Most patriotic community of the nation. A community that is ever ready to Sacrifice every thing including their lives for the unity integrity and Independence of the motherland. How sad. Coming from people who have done nothing but plundered the nation makes it disgusting.
I must tell you that i am the author of this concept of orop. I was the first Man to take it up with indiraji on 22 feb 1982. After that pursued it all the time and am still at it. We were instrumental for every step taken by successive Govts. If i said that the history of my association is the history of the welfare Measures by the govts i would not be exaggerating. You should therefore grant Me that i should know more about this matter than you who has sent this pack Of lies and half truths in the shape of misleading presentation for us to swallow.
From the tenor and tone of the mail it seems that mr sehrawat you proabely are a member of the elitist group of the natons services, if not then perhaps
There proxy for sending this rubbish. What can we expect from you but this absolute distortion of facts. When your colleagues can go to the Sacred house of parliament and speak lies and get away. How does it matter if you spoke few lies here and there and distort the facts in this mail.
If you want to see the lies spoken by your colleagues, we can have a separate meeting For that, for one can not cover those in any mail what ever one likes to do.
Now your basic lies that you have tried to impress us with. What I state is not heresay or things picked up from here and there. It is personal knowledge acquired by 30 years of dedicated work for this cause and After having forced the government to appoint these committees, been member of every committee appointed by the government except the inter ministerial ones you mentioned for obvious reasons.
A) it is right that the estimates committee had considered this on their own in 1982. They however did not reject it, on the contrary they desired that it be
Considered favorably. This kind of recommendaton lands the matter in the lap Of your colleagues. Once it comes there you play merry hell into it as they did with this report.
B) this issue was raised by us first time on 22 feb 1982 when I landed with 5000 Veterans at the pm's residence and presented the first ever memorandum which had five points, OROP being the top one. Indiraji was busy that day, so Rajivji accepted the memorandum on her behalf and promised to see that it was
accepted.
We held another rally in honour of respected Indiraji on 25 june 1983, she promised to do it in one go if the monsoon that year was normal and in phases if necessary. Soon after we announced 10,000.00 war medals return to the President of India and our C in C on 15 august 1983.
I was invited by Mr Venkataraman the RM on 10 August 1983 where I suggested that a committee or a commission be appointed to go into the entire gamut of
our problems and solve these. The RM took it to Indiraji and informed me that our suggestion had been accepted by her for appointment of a high level Committee. On this we dropped the idea of medals return.
This committee was headed by the RRM Mr KP Singhdeo. I was a special invitee for this committee. It made far reaching 68 recommendations covering all aspects. OROP was strongly recommended by them for consideration of the Govt and not as you have suggested its reference to the fourth CPC. This report was presented to the prime minister two days before her assassination. To our great misfortune she was snatched away by destiny.
Otherwise we would have got it in 1984. She was one leader who could put your colleagues where they belonged and fulfilled her promise given on 25 June 1983 to us.
This report then landed in the hands of your colleagues. Do you know what they did. They accepted 52 recommendations like we should maintain discipline in Society, and rejeected 16 of these which gave us any tangible benefits. OROP being the first one. To give you an idea about how low you can go I narrate.
One recommendation said orop should be accepted. Then the next one was that after this was accepted all special facilities given to ex servicemen should be
withdrawn. They accepted the second one without accepting the OROP. Ha ha ha. Isnt that amusing ?
C) I must educate you before proceeding further about a High Level Empowered Committee (HLEC). This is not a recommendatory committee, it is an empowered
Committee whose recommendations are final for implementation. The fact that you are bigger than them is a different matter.
The biggest lie you have spoken is that hgh level empowered committee Rejected orop and gave one time increase (OTI),
First let me put you wise about how this committee came about. In 1991 the Congress govt was heading a minority government. The opposition was
motivated by some politically motivated and misguided elements to move a resolution in parliament that if the govt did not immediately accept to implement vp singh govts ad hoc increase formula they will pull down the govt. This formula I had termed as betrayal of trust by Sh VP Singh the previous PM. Its implementation would have been disastrous for us. I moved swiftly to stop it. Walked into Mr Pawars office and demanded OROP instead. After heated exchanges he accepted my request for reconsideration. After another meeting and discussion he went to the parliament and announced the HLEC to improve the pensions.
I was made a member of this HLEC.
This committee was very inclined to give OROP but the economic conditions in which we sent our gold to UK to run the country prevented that. What was
given brought us almost there.
The bureaucrats wanted a clause to reject the OROP but I strongly opposed it. This was as a result not commented upon so that it did not close the door for its consideration and grant in future.
Despite the total opposition from the bureaucrats, the award of this Committee was very good. This award had to be converted into notification for implementation by the bureaucrats. You know what they did.
The notification did not even give 1/3 of what was given by the HELC . What they could not achieve during the proceedings of the committee they tried to
achieve it through the notification.
I took up the matter with the rm mr sharad pawar. He immediately appointed an anomalies removal committee again of bureaucrats. You know what they did. They created even more complicated anomalies that I could only have removed through the Fifth CPC.
After their experiences in the high level empowered committee where we did not let the bureaucrats get away with their lies they probably vowed never to
have such a committee in which we are represented. So far they have succeeded in this matter. They started the new system of having inter ministerial committees or group of ministers (GOM). Of these committees they never told us their composition or their charter. Nor did they tell us when they were meeting.
D) Your all information is wrong and inadequuate. The decision of the govt on fifth cpc report came on 18 july 1997. It gave modified parity to all govt servants including the Armed forces. We started an agitaional program at the red fort on 22 august 1997 that lasted for 107 days. We were seeking full parity which in other words meant OROP. On the second day the PM Mr gujral called for a meeting with me where I explained to him the entire problem. He promised to examine the matter and come back.
During this period we had three major rallies, besides indefinite fasts, medal returns and relay fasts. Ultimately a meeting with the Defence Secretary was fixed for 03 nov 1997. The secretary had been empowered by the PM to accept our three to four major demands for implementation after approval of the cabinet and rest could follow in normal routine. OROP and removal of 33 years conditionality were the ones accepted besides two more for implementation. The defence secretary reqested me to give him a paper on these four accepted demands which he could put up straight to the cabinet. I gave him the paper the next day.
The bureaucrats did not put these up quickly enough. Then to our misfortune the govt fell and the matter went into tizzy again.
The next govt took over. I gave seven demands to the next PM Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee. My meeting was fixed with him on 26 july 2001. In that meeting he
accepted three demands and for the remaining four he appointed a committee headed by the RM, which was to give its report in three months. This committee never met for over six months and after that the RM wrote to me rejecting all the demands. We then called a rally at the Ram Lila Ground on feb 23 2003. On this rally we invited the chairman of the defence committee Mr Madan Lal Khurana. He promised to invite me to Parliament and after understanding the matter do every thing possible to help us.
Presentation they made a very strong report to the govt demanding that OROP be granted.
The bureaucrats formed an inter ministerial committee to find ways and means to reject the defense committee report. In their action taken report (ATR) they spoke blatant lies to reject the report.
In the meantime the govt changed. The new chairman of the defense committee called me to understand the mess created by this report. It was disgusting to see the level your clan had stooped to somehow reject our demands so strongly recommended by the committee. I picked up eleven major lies out of the report and submitted the paper to the chairman. On this he made another strong recommendation for its grant rejecting the ATR and as submitted by me asked for a high level empowered committee in which we were represented to resolve the issue.
I hope you now understand when this committee was formed and what they did.
E) After the second report of the defense committee the govt appointed a group of ministers (GOM), headed by Mr Pranab Mukherji the RM, to re examine the matter in may 2005 and not in jan 2005 as you have mentioned. This was not acceptable to me so I went to see the RM and told him so. He asked why I did not accept it.
I asked him in turn what was he going to base his recommendations on. Obviously what the bureaucrats put up to him. I gave him the paper on what lies hey spoke in the parliament and pointed out that if they could speak such lies in the parliament they were not going to say anything different to him. The result of such an exercise is a foregone conclusion. You would reject these submissions of ours. He was kind to tell me that the reference for this committee had come from PM’s office, he therefore could not change the format, but promised to invite me for presentation before he made his report. I then accepted to go along. When the bureaucrats learnt about it they went into action to scuttle my presentation. When i realized this I went and met the RM and requested him to stop the mischief of the bureaucrats, hold the meeting for my presentation and then give his award as the entire country's ex servicemen were waiting for the award.
I got the greatest shock of my life when he told me that he could not invite me. The bigger shock was to find such a senior minister like Mr Pranab Mukherji not being able to flfill his simple promise to hear me.
I wondered what could be the helplessness of the other ministers in front of these true masters of the nation .
Shocked and astonished i worked up my way to Soniaji with the help of my benevolent friend Mr KP Singhdeo and sought her intervention to save the day for us. Her kind intervention resulted in the govt announcing Parity with the fifth cpc rates on 25 jan 2006. In other words orop with fifth cpc rates.
This means that the GOM did not reject the OROP, they put the entire processes right by giving parity with the Fifth cpc rates and set a precedence for all future pay commissions to give armed forces parity with Their rates, in other words OROP.
I hope you now understand this matter better. In case you dont i can personally come and further clarify your doubts so that you do not make such sweeping statements in future.
F) The sixth pay commission stated what suited them to deny us the rightful dues. When i went to make my presentation they were working on the same assumption quietly supressing the fact of parity with fifth cpc rates given to the armed forces by this GOM. I clarified this to them and demanded that they have to maintain this precedence by giving us parity now with sixth cpc rates. When the report came i was shocked to see that they have continued with their canard of the fifth cpc and ignored the gom award.
I called them and was told that they have consciously taken the decision not to give parity with sixth cpc rates.
Obviously they had to do that to justify their mischief.
G) Well if the govt improved the pensions in the budget what is so great about it. They have done it for you as well. On the contrary the govt had failed to give the armed forces their rightful dues by not giving OROP.
Not only that what the govt has given is totally demeaning because they have totally downgraded the status of the armed forces.
SUPREME COURT EXAMINATION OF OROP. NAKRA CASE
It seems that you believe in the adage that if you continue to speak the same lie, a stage will come when every body would start accepting it as truth.
Let me educate you on this matter before i proceed. The nakra case was that the liberalized formula sanctioned by the government should be applied to all irrespective of date of retirement. The liberalized formula said that penson should be fifty percent of last pay drawn. The organization which filed this case, less said about them the better. They are actually the cause of our miserable plight. Some highly intelligent members of that organization, without applying their minds, filed the supreme court case saying that the govt had committed contempt of court by not granting us the orop on account of this ruling.
The court then proceeded to examine if the orop came under the ambit of the rulng on liberalized formula.
A word about these two things. Liberalized formula meant giving fifty per cent of last pay drawn as pension. That means whatever salary one was getting at the time of retirement he gets fifty percent of that salary only. Since at different points of time men got different rates of salary so they could only get different rates of pension under the purview of this order. The orop means that same rank personnel got the same pension irrespective of date of retirement.
How could they then get same pension for same rank under this order.. The court very rightly concluded that orop does not fall under the ambit of nakra case. The govt have therefore not violated their order. It was therefore dismissed. The govt in actual practice had given more than the liberalized formula gave by bringing all the sepoys to rs 150.00 pm pension even to those who drew far too less a salary and were drawing rs 4 and later rs 17 as pensions.
It was not orop that was rejected, in fact the contempt case was rejected. These gentlemen asked a wrong question from the court and got a wrong answer.
This case has not done any good for us, on the contrary this case has left a permanent handle in the hands of your colleagues to flaunt to the unwary leadership and have this matter rejected every time it comes up.
PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR THEIR NATION
The leadershp of the tiniest nation Singapore and the mightiest one USA , get on house tops and blair away that they would give the best tangible and non tangible benefits to that section of the society who do the most difficult job for the nation. Then they go onto elaborate that it is the armed forces which are doing the most difficult task for the nation and they would therefore get the best of tangble and non tangible benefits and then they give it with pride. What happens in our country. When the nation is confronted by a calamity natural or man made the armed forces are brought and squeezed to the hilt and after the job is done they are hanged on the nearest pole till they are dead.
IN A MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE VOLUNTARY agencies (scova) in the ministry of pensions, I was asked as to what are our demands. I after narrating the above facts told them I seek attitudinal change of the bureaucracy from hanging the armed forces to the nearest pole to gving them the best, every thing will be covered. There was a total furore and protestations but no answer given. You want to know what means you employ to deny us our rightful dues ? I can tell you separately if you so desire.
For your benefit i wish to tell you that the usa gives OROP to the armed forces and not to the civilians. Further the armed forces pensions are fully paid by the govt. The armed forces are entitled to 50 % of their last pay drawn as pension after 20 years service. The civilians pensions on the other hand are contributory. They pay 7 % of their emoluments all their life to get 33% of their last pay drawn as pension that too after 30 years service. No wonder that they are the greatest power on earth today. Can you match that great power. I dont think so unless you change your attitude towards the armed forces and not advance the ridiculous argument of we knowing the terms and condition before joining to justify your hostile and petty conduct.
I am glad i was able to have the civilians pensions converted to contributory scheme in 2001 while protecting those of the armed forces. I am however very vary of this trend continuing with the kind of games you can play.
POVERTY LINE
You have given some figures on poverty and want responsible persons to be concerned about it. You obviously claim to be the most responsible citizen of the nation, what you do is a different matter. Why do you not forego your salaries my friend. What do you need your salaries for. Your all needs are taken care of by other means the moment you take charge of your first appointment. Let us see you being the first volunteer doing this being so concerned about the state of affairs in the country.
Please tell me are the armed forces the only people who should be squeezed to save the nation from economic disaster. I suppose you think so that is why thngs like fixing of disability pension for armed forces is worked out less than the civilians besides making the procedure for entitlement much more difficult than that of the civilians. If the savings are still not enough then you grant them from a much later date. There are hundreds of such examples.
CIVILIANS WILL DEMAND OROP
Now the argument that the civilians will also demand orop and if not granted they would go to the court to claim it. This is the argument you advance finally to scuttle the efforts of the leadership. This is the bigget canard that i keep hearing. I have been interacting with major civilian unions. All of them have always been ready to support us for this cause and that too without demanding for themselves. For your information when in 1991 we were given OTI the civilians also demanded it but when told that this was for the armed forces only they as true patriots did not insist. Similar thing happened when in 2006 the govt granted parity with fifth cpc to us.
In case some people inspired by you people do go to the court for redressal they will certainly be welcome. The courts will also be ready to give them but then the courts will also tell them that the armed forces have been given these special privileges for their peculiar and difficult service conditions. They would then go on to tell them that they were willing to concede OROP to them if they were prepared to accept their service conditions also. Who among any of your colleagues are prepared to shed your position and accept these conditions. None. I am saying this because i have had an opportunity to settle this matter during the proceedings of the hlec in 1991.
There was an argument and the civilian big wigs wanted for themselves also what was being worked out for us. When nothng was resolving the issue i proposed that one chance each be given to the entire civil and armed forces personnel to change their service to the other if they so desired. Once that is given i said i bet my life that 100 % armed forces personnel would like to switch over and not one of the civilians would opt for the armed forces. There was a total furore but none to take up the challenge. They were not small fries, they were secretaries of all the ministries.
Finally since when have you started to know more about the feelings and pulse of the people more than the leadership. Every committee of the leadership have recommended strongly that orop be granted. The defense committee went to the extent of demanding that if there was no precedence then it should now be set to repay the deep debt of gratitude of the grateful nation to the armed forces for their sacrifices. Do you know this or not? Further do you know that almost 500 hon'ble members of parliament are committed through their party manifestos for giving the orop to the armed forces.
I suppose you dont care for these minions for you are not only bigger then them but also the nation.
I hope after going through this mail you would think on this matter and bring about attitudinal change not only within you but also the entire bureaucracy.
Sorry for taking too long in responding. It was too big an issue it had to take time even in the normal course. This mail was an attempt to demean us so it had to be given a special attention . Please therefore forgive me.
I have spent extra time so that i put down facts to enable our own veterans to know them and be able to give proper reply when required.
God bless you mr sehrawat and all my veterans.
Inderjit singh
Views of Admiral Arun Prakash on OROP
Admiral Arun PrakashOur MPs celebrated the unanimous passage of the bill for three-fold enhancement of their pay and perks with yet another undignified rampage in the well of the House. One was struck by the stark contrast between the facile manner in which our elected representatives approved their own pay rise, and the disdain with which the bureaucracy and politicians have been treating the pleas of ex-Servicemen, the nation’s war-wounded and the widows of soldiers; for their just dues of pension and allowances.
Once he doffs his uniform, an ex-Serviceman (now re-designated Armed Forces Veteran) is technically liberated from the restraints of military discipline, and is free to adopt the demeanor and behaviour of any civilian on the street. But deep inside, the veteran’s soul cringes at the thought of conducting himself in a manner which, in earlier days, he would have associated with civilian agitators and unbecoming of his uniform. But it seems that he has been left with no choice.
He has found that the staff of the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, created in 2004, is staffed 100% by civilians, who either do not comprehend or are indifferent to his problems. Therefore his representations to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) gather dust for years, before being dismissed in a perfunctory and bureaucratic manner. One rank one pension (OROP) has been a major demand of the veterans, which has been hanging fire with the government for many years. Assurances have been given by successive governments – only to be reneged upon.
Despite repeated pleas by the Chiefs of Staff, based on bitter experience of the past, the government in 2005 adamantly refused to appoint a Service representative on the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC). As expected, the Commission’s report contained flaws, anomalies and, as some believe, many provisions deliberately incorporated by the bureaucracy to depress the pay and status of armed forces personnel vis-à-vis their civilian counterparts. At the repeated behest of the Chiefs, the government reluctantly convened a committee to review the anomalous CPC recommendations; again, inexplicably, without any armed forces representation. Predictably, the committee failed to resolve many tangles and left the serving as well as retired personnel dissatisfied. On a number of issues relating to pension and allowances the veterans were left with no choice but to approach courts of law. After years of expensive litigation the courts did give gave redressal, but the MoD fought them tooth and nail through appeals to higher courts. In two instances where the Supreme Court eventually gave decisions in the veteran’s favour, the government of India has stubbornly refused to implement them! Can there be a more blunt expression of contempt for its soldiers, sailors and airmen by the State? Yes there can.
In April 2008, the frustrated veterans started resorting to demonstrations in the heart of the national capital, as well as in many states to press their demands. Then they graduated to "relay fasts" at Jantar Mantar, and this was followed by the melodramatic gesture of signing petitions in blood. The participants in all these events ranged from retired jawans and JCOs to General Officers, and they all braved the bitter cold, blistering sun or rain to convey their unhappiness in public. When the government studiously ignored their pleas, they thought that they would take the "ultimate step": i.e. surrender their hard-earned and battle-stained medals to the Supreme Commander; the President of India.
Every commissioned officer of the Indian armed forces swears an Oath of Allegiance which contains the words: "…that I will obey all commands of the President of the Union of India…..even to the peril of my life…" The veterans were confident that the exalted person, unto whom they had sworn this blood-oath, at a tender age, would be deeply concerned that the nation’s soldier, sailors and airmen were driven to such an extremity. And that she would enquire why they were returning their hard-won medals. After all, many of their dear comrades had redeemed this solemn oath by making the supreme sacrifice to defend the Motherland…even to the peril of their lives. But what happened when successive delegations of veterans arrived at the portals of Rashtrapati Bhavan to surrender their medals to the Supreme Commander has shaken all of us to the core. They were met by low level functionaries who received their medals and sent them away. The medals were then packed in cardboard boxes and sent off to the MoD to be stored in a dusty basement.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan appointment diary will, on any day, show that dozens of citizens from every walk of life in this great democracy are freely granted audiences with their President. The fact that our Supreme Commander has, for two years, either not found the time, or not deemed it appropriate to spare a few minutes to meet the veterans who regularly show up at Rashtrapati Bhavan is a sad commentary on the standing of the armed forces in India. The cue has, obviously, been provided by the politicians, who have shown equal disregard and disrespect for the nation’s loyal and patriotic veterans.
The US President misses no possible opportunity to repeatedly convey gratitude to the nation’s Servicemen for defending the country’s freedom and for making sacrifices in its cause. Since assuming office Obama has made it a point to review the passing-out parades at every Service academy. He has used each occasion to make important national policy statements while addressing the Cadets and Midshipmen; such is the regard and respect that the USA holds its Servicemen in.
Like every year, on 15th August 2010 too, all veterans listened raptly to the PM addressing the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort. But we listened in vain. He spoke of many issues but there was not a word about the armed forces; no mention of those who died in action or those maimed for life, or the widows, orphans and grieving parents our soldiers leave behind, ever so often. Military veterans, world-wide are objects of spontaneous respect, affection and admiration because, like the flag, they are national symbols of courage, patriotism and sacrifice; a segment deserving of special consideration by the people and the government. An additional reason is that the nation’s 30 lakh Veterans retain an umbilical connection with the serving personnel; they hail from the same regions or neighbouring villages and many come from extended families, whom they meet when on leave. Every serviceman knows that in a few years he will become a veteran.
During the last general elections, an attempt was made to politicize Veterans issues, and seek support of one political party or the other. In this age of instant news, the essence of whatever happens at Jantar Mantar, India Gate or Rashtrapati Bhavan will be seen and heard almost instantly by the men in uniform.
India’s democracy requires that the armed forces must remain proud, professional and totally insulated from politics. The grievances of our Veterans, must, therefore, be handled with far more sensitivity and responsiveness, than they, so far, have. The need of the hour is to defuse their sense of resentment at the seeming neglect by the government. In a democracy this is easily done – by discussion and dialogue.
We must never again allow our Veterans from taking to the streets, and the best means would be to constitute a multi-party Parliamentary Commission to examine and address the full gamut of Veterans’ issues and grievances on a long-term basis.
By Adm. (Retd) Arun Prakash
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Armed forces must rescue Delhi Commonwealth Games by Maj Gen Raj S Mehta
Armed forces must rescue Delhi Commonwealth Games
Maj Gen Raj S Mehta
E-Mail-raj_s_mehta12@yahoo.com
The maverick politician, Mani Shankar Aiyar fits into the classic description of a whistle blower. He has recently raised serious internal concerns about the alleged wrongdoing in the functioning of the Commonwealth Games; especially so by his bête-noire, the Chairman of the CWG Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi. His charges are serious since it is his party, the Congress which is in power in Delhi and the Centre. Besides, he has been Union Sports Minister who is no stranger to the reality of sordid, long gestation sports mismanagement in India. Aiyar is also a special invitee to his party’s apex decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee.
On a parallel track, most television channels have had a field day exposing incompetence and alleged financial irregularities in the working of the CWG hierarchy as well as highlighting the delayed and below standard infrastructure development. The generous monsoons have added urgency to their reports. Contrary to the surreal, blasé homilies by CWG officialdom “our work is world class/ all is well all will be well”, television cameras continue to give graphic, shocking evidence of shoddy and unfinished work. The topping on the soggy CWG cake has to be the interim report of the Central Vigilance Commission which imputes financial wrongdoing, poor quality control and lack of supervision at all levels. Matters have reached such a pitch that the Prime Minister had to step in, and has informed the Parliament that the PMO will establish a watch over the functioning of the Organising Committee to ensure the games' success.
It is easy to point out where things have gone out of kilter. Lack of a charismatic and capable leader; multiplicity of agencies answerable to no one; lack of accountability; buck passing; poor planning, (an aghast nation recently heard Suresh Kalmadi brazenly say in response to a question on slippages by his worried interlocutor, “I have no Plan B because nothing will go wrong!”) are major issues. Absence of foresight (what the French term as coup d’oeil – a sense of what is possible); endemic corruption; an embarrassing absence of systems, checks and balances; a near total void in overwatch or an Ombudsman who could have progressively blown the whistle over slippages in planning since 2003, when the games were firmly allotted, completes the dismal picture.
There is also something noticed repeatedly by keen observers, the untranslatable chalta hai (cavalier attitude) outlook that transcends most spheres of work in official India. It is endemic. Though we have created world class, truly great, near perfect monuments in our past and no one has complained of leakages and shoddy work in the centuries old Dilwara Temples or the Taj Mahal or even the Red Fort, that pride of workmanship seems to disappear when officialdom gets into the loop. Maybe this is because rank corruption breeds compromises in all parameters which underscore efficiency; vision; great planning; timely and systematic compliance; craftsmanship; accountability; great quality and great detailing; that rare ability that allows you to dot the ‘i’s and cross the ‘t’s of all work you do.
One does not question the compelling core truth about whistle blowing that “Sunlight is the most powerful of disinfectants”. The nation cannot be a helpless bystander to ineptitude and sleaze that impacts on national pride and the national “feel good” attitude, without which we cannot make progress. That said, we need to accept without any qualification whatsoever that the CWG games are neither Kalmadi’s nor Aiyar’s – they are India’s. The successful conduct of the Delhi CWG should thus be a matter of extraordinary national pride across all divides of politics, opinion, gender or age. We therefore need to cast aside all our differences, subordinate personal ego’s and button down to the task at hand.
Concerned country watchers and the common man alike would have been very happy if the CWG organisers had examined why the 1982 Asian Games at one stage under similar, severe pressure of missed infrastructure completion deadlines, organisational chaos, confusion and lack of vision were successful and had drawn appropriate lessons from it. The PMO then had taken early charge and used the Armed Forces as their key delivery agent. Deliver they did, to India’s (regrettably short lived) gratitude and the world’s pleasant surprise. The time for Plan B execution (the need for which had earlier been dismissed by an over confident Mr. Kalmadi) has come once again, albeit savagely late.
The armed forces must be requested to step into the breach, along with the PMO officials who now stand detailed, and do their best to salvage the games and our national reputation thereto. It is believed that the uniformed fraternity was helping anyway, but on the fringes of the games; in some organisational areas related to protocol, ceremonies and security. This now needs to be stepped up and their total involvement solicited. Disturbingly, but not surprisingly, the emerging media coverage says that Mr. Suresh Kalmadi has expressed inability to pay the Army any compensation on grounds of inadequate funding. This amounts to serious default and must be corrected by the PMO when national pride and honour of the country are at stake. Though the armed forces live (and die, when needed) for the country’s name and its honour, it is incumbent on the government not to take their fierce and unqualified commitment for granted. There is therefore a compulsion dictated by fair play not to undermine their motivation and morale by ignoring the need to compensate them adequately as per norms established for the other agencies that are assisting in the conduct of the CWG.
Maj Gen Raj S Mehta retired from the Indian Army in 2006. Over the years, he has been a strong and vocal supporter of preservation of our ecology and environment. He has lectured frequently on the subject.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the views of the editorial committee or the centre for land warfare studies).
-----------
THE END
Maj Gen Raj S Mehta
E-Mail-raj_s_mehta12@yahoo.com
The maverick politician, Mani Shankar Aiyar fits into the classic description of a whistle blower. He has recently raised serious internal concerns about the alleged wrongdoing in the functioning of the Commonwealth Games; especially so by his bête-noire, the Chairman of the CWG Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi. His charges are serious since it is his party, the Congress which is in power in Delhi and the Centre. Besides, he has been Union Sports Minister who is no stranger to the reality of sordid, long gestation sports mismanagement in India. Aiyar is also a special invitee to his party’s apex decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee.
On a parallel track, most television channels have had a field day exposing incompetence and alleged financial irregularities in the working of the CWG hierarchy as well as highlighting the delayed and below standard infrastructure development. The generous monsoons have added urgency to their reports. Contrary to the surreal, blasé homilies by CWG officialdom “our work is world class/ all is well all will be well”, television cameras continue to give graphic, shocking evidence of shoddy and unfinished work. The topping on the soggy CWG cake has to be the interim report of the Central Vigilance Commission which imputes financial wrongdoing, poor quality control and lack of supervision at all levels. Matters have reached such a pitch that the Prime Minister had to step in, and has informed the Parliament that the PMO will establish a watch over the functioning of the Organising Committee to ensure the games' success.
It is easy to point out where things have gone out of kilter. Lack of a charismatic and capable leader; multiplicity of agencies answerable to no one; lack of accountability; buck passing; poor planning, (an aghast nation recently heard Suresh Kalmadi brazenly say in response to a question on slippages by his worried interlocutor, “I have no Plan B because nothing will go wrong!”) are major issues. Absence of foresight (what the French term as coup d’oeil – a sense of what is possible); endemic corruption; an embarrassing absence of systems, checks and balances; a near total void in overwatch or an Ombudsman who could have progressively blown the whistle over slippages in planning since 2003, when the games were firmly allotted, completes the dismal picture.
There is also something noticed repeatedly by keen observers, the untranslatable chalta hai (cavalier attitude) outlook that transcends most spheres of work in official India. It is endemic. Though we have created world class, truly great, near perfect monuments in our past and no one has complained of leakages and shoddy work in the centuries old Dilwara Temples or the Taj Mahal or even the Red Fort, that pride of workmanship seems to disappear when officialdom gets into the loop. Maybe this is because rank corruption breeds compromises in all parameters which underscore efficiency; vision; great planning; timely and systematic compliance; craftsmanship; accountability; great quality and great detailing; that rare ability that allows you to dot the ‘i’s and cross the ‘t’s of all work you do.
One does not question the compelling core truth about whistle blowing that “Sunlight is the most powerful of disinfectants”. The nation cannot be a helpless bystander to ineptitude and sleaze that impacts on national pride and the national “feel good” attitude, without which we cannot make progress. That said, we need to accept without any qualification whatsoever that the CWG games are neither Kalmadi’s nor Aiyar’s – they are India’s. The successful conduct of the Delhi CWG should thus be a matter of extraordinary national pride across all divides of politics, opinion, gender or age. We therefore need to cast aside all our differences, subordinate personal ego’s and button down to the task at hand.
Concerned country watchers and the common man alike would have been very happy if the CWG organisers had examined why the 1982 Asian Games at one stage under similar, severe pressure of missed infrastructure completion deadlines, organisational chaos, confusion and lack of vision were successful and had drawn appropriate lessons from it. The PMO then had taken early charge and used the Armed Forces as their key delivery agent. Deliver they did, to India’s (regrettably short lived) gratitude and the world’s pleasant surprise. The time for Plan B execution (the need for which had earlier been dismissed by an over confident Mr. Kalmadi) has come once again, albeit savagely late.
The armed forces must be requested to step into the breach, along with the PMO officials who now stand detailed, and do their best to salvage the games and our national reputation thereto. It is believed that the uniformed fraternity was helping anyway, but on the fringes of the games; in some organisational areas related to protocol, ceremonies and security. This now needs to be stepped up and their total involvement solicited. Disturbingly, but not surprisingly, the emerging media coverage says that Mr. Suresh Kalmadi has expressed inability to pay the Army any compensation on grounds of inadequate funding. This amounts to serious default and must be corrected by the PMO when national pride and honour of the country are at stake. Though the armed forces live (and die, when needed) for the country’s name and its honour, it is incumbent on the government not to take their fierce and unqualified commitment for granted. There is therefore a compulsion dictated by fair play not to undermine their motivation and morale by ignoring the need to compensate them adequately as per norms established for the other agencies that are assisting in the conduct of the CWG.
Maj Gen Raj S Mehta retired from the Indian Army in 2006. Over the years, he has been a strong and vocal supporter of preservation of our ecology and environment. He has lectured frequently on the subject.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the views of the editorial committee or the centre for land warfare studies).
-----------
THE END
Make Games a grand success India’s honour is at stake by Lt-Gen Vijay Oberoi (retd)
THE TRIBUNE
08 SEPTEMBER 2010
Make Games a grand success India’s honour is at stake
by Lt-Gen Vijay Oberoi (retd)
THE mess that the organisers of the 10th Commonwealth Games have made of it has sullied the honour and image of India. Unfortunately, while the Organising Committee (OC) has been in the eye of the storm, the mess is not confined to it. Here is a world class event, bid for by the country, for which ample time was available to the OC as well as to the entire Delhi Administration, and yet we find ourselves in such dire straits that neither the Games venues nor the infrastructure facilities in Delhi are ready. One should also not forget that the worthies of the Central government, who were supposedly keeping a close watch, continued to be somnolent till they were jolted by revelations in the media.
The media needs to be congratulated for bringing to the public domain how officials associated with organising the Games have misappropriated government funds and lined their own pockets. There is no end to such revelations, hoodwinking and passing the buck, but the culprits are either posturing or in a permanent state of denial while delays continue in all fields of activity, from infrastructure to what are euphemistically called “overlays”.
The latest are the gag orders issued to the coaches after the chief hockey coach, a Spaniard, in great anguish commented lucidly on the systemic failures of the nation in the field of sports, saying, “I have lost; your ‘system’ has won. I tried my best to change it; I pleaded, I cried, I did everything; but it won’t budge.” What a monumental shame!
The mess is not confined to the so-called world class infrastructure relating to the Games, but even in getting Delhi organised for the purpose. Let me mention just a few — the road communications within Delhi and the Metro extension; the grossly incomplete beautification drive undertaken by various agencies and not meeting even the targets of hotel rooms and other accommodation; all at such monumental costs. There can only be two reasons for this state of affairs — officials sitting over sanctions till their personal “demands” are met, and an abysmal lack of pride in the nation’s achievements. With every new revelation, the nation comes down another notch in the eyes of the world as well as our own people. It is not corruption per se that bothers the citizens, but the rampant loot of their hard-earned money, for public funds are after all created by numerous taxes which we all pay. Apparently, corruption no longer bothers us because it has now become a way of life in our country. There is no facet of India that is corruption-free.
In areas where a particular action may not be described as corruption, there is filching of public funds, again by both the high and the mighty as well as the officials who occupy the lower rungs of the bureaucracy, the police, etc. We seem to be so completely affected by our proverbial fatalistic outlook to life that we continue to withstand this onslaught of government officials and elected representatives without any major and collective backlash.
Reverting to the Games, once the media had exposed the skulduggery of the OC and the grossly inadequate preparations, it is to the credit of the Prime Minister that he moved fast, set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) as well as a Committee of Secretaries (CoS) to oversee all aspects of the preparations of the Games. A number of senior-level bureaucrats were also coopted to oversee each venue and expedite completion. It may well be a case of “too little too late”, but at least attempts are being made to retrieve a dismal situation.
At the same time, we have fallen into the trap of having “too many cooks.…”. So, there is a great danger of not meeting the aims and objectives.
In the Army, we cater for contingencies when the officer in command may become unavailable; his deputy takes over automatically and continues with his task. The advantages are obvious, but our political leaders as well as bureaucrats are loath to learn from the Army. So, we have a situation where the man in charge of the Games must be replaced, but we are unable to do so either on political grounds or because such a contingency was not planned for, and control could not change seamlessly.
There are also other major disadvantages. Besides diluting responsibility, we have managed to reduce accountability too. Resultantly, though the powers at the highest level have promised a full enquiry after the Games and severe punishment for those responsible, no one seems to believe it. Such is the loss of confidence of the “aam aadmi” in our leadership. Undoubtedly, a tragic situation! However, that is still in the future and such speculations at this time are unlikely to help in conducting the Games with a view to retrieving at least some of our image.
A few years back, the Army had conducted the World Military Games at Hyderabad, which were at a grand scale, with participation by over 70 nations. These Games were conducted flawlessly and earned kudos for the country. Luckily, some senior military officers who had played major roles in organising the military games have been coopted in the present games. They will undoubtedly do a stupendous job. One of them could have been made the deputy and we could have avoided the pitiable situation we are in. While on the subject of the military, how churlish it is on the part of the organisers to ask the serving personnel of the military who have been coopted for the most important tasks to do so gratis. Is this being suggested as a desperate measure to balance their books, although the paltry honorarium asked by the military is so minuscule that for the OC and the GoM to even suggest it is shameless, to say the least? It is only these military personnel who with their dedication and discipline will pull the chestnuts out of the fire for the OC and in doing so restore some of our lost image. Do pay them well.
At the end, it must be said that enough dirty linen has been washed in public. We need to end this now and concentrate on making the Games a grand success despite what has happened till now. There will be plenty of time and opportunity for recriminations and bringing the culprits to book after the Games. For the present, let us strive to put up a good show, for the sake of the country’s honour and reputation. In the long term, the nation will benefit. Once the Games are over, the media can go hammer and tongs after all the guilty and set examples for the future.
The writer is a former Vice-Chief of the Indian Army.
--------
From: raj mehta [mailto:raj_s_mehta12@yahoo.com]
Sent: 08 September 2010 09:58
To: REPORT MY SIGNAL (CS Kamboj)
Subject: Fw: CLAWS Web article on CWG and the Army
Dear Sir,
I take the liberty of sending the url link to a recent article on how the Army could be requested to bail out the CWG; an issue on which Gen Oberoi has written so well in todays The Tribune.
With warm regards,
Raj Mehta
------------
CLAWS WEBSITE
http://www.claws.in/index.php?action=master&task=638&u_id=135
Major case in aft delhi
From: avtar singh avtar_singh10@hotmail.com
Sent: 07 September 2010 03:42
To: V Natrajan; ommodore Kamboj
Subject: Major case in aft delhi
Dear Sir,
The above case has been adjourned to 13 Sep 2010
The respondent sought tim e to study additional affidavit filed by us
Regards
Avtar Singh
Sent: 07 September 2010 03:42
To: V Natrajan; ommodore Kamboj
Subject: Major case in aft delhi
Dear Sir,
The above case has been adjourned to 13 Sep 2010
The respondent sought tim e to study additional affidavit filed by us
Regards
Avtar Singh
Government/MOD to set up a separate Pay commission
लो भाई एक और सुनो
अब आया ऊँट पहार के नीचे
कोई तो हमारा है - जो फौज़िओं की चिंता करता है
कृपया इस खबर को जल्दी से जल्दी हर फौजी तक पहुचाएं
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.
Copy to – Abhijit C Chandra, Chief of Bureau UNI, Bhopal - jollyrogerflieshigh@yahoo.co.uk
-------------
From: Christopher D'Silva [mailto:chrisdsilva41@hotmail.com]
Sent: 08 September 2010 10:21
To: CS Kamboj
Subject:
Dear Chander,
Sending you herewith, the link regarding the direction of the Supreme Court of India to the Government/MOD to set up a separate Pay commission for the Armed Forces. Kindly consider giving this wide publicity, please
Warm regards
Chris (Capt Christopher Lucian Newman D'Silva, IN, Watertown, MA 02472, USA)
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/form-separate-pay-commission-for-armed-forces-sc-to-govt/679121/ - Form a separate Pay Commission for the Armed Forces: SC to Govt.
------------
अब आया ऊँट पहार के नीचे
कोई तो हमारा है - जो फौज़िओं की चिंता करता है
कृपया इस खबर को जल्दी से जल्दी हर फौजी तक पहुचाएं
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.
Copy to – Abhijit C Chandra, Chief of Bureau UNI, Bhopal - jollyrogerflieshigh@yahoo.co.uk
-------------
From: Christopher D'Silva [mailto:chrisdsilva41@hotmail.com]
Sent: 08 September 2010 10:21
To: CS Kamboj
Subject:
Dear Chander,
Sending you herewith, the link regarding the direction of the Supreme Court of India to the Government/MOD to set up a separate Pay commission for the Armed Forces. Kindly consider giving this wide publicity, please
Warm regards
Chris (Capt Christopher Lucian Newman D'Silva, IN, Watertown, MA 02472, USA)
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/form-separate-pay-commission-for-armed-forces-sc-to-govt/679121/ - Form a separate Pay Commission for the Armed Forces: SC to Govt.
------------
FORM SEPARATE PAY COMMISSION FOR ARMED FORCES:SUPREME COURT TO GOVT OF INDIA
RULINGS BY THE HON’BLE SUPREME COURT TO THE GOVT OF INDIA
indian express.com
FORM SEPARATE PAY COMMISSION FOR ARMED FORCES:
SUPREME COURT TO GOVT OF INDIA
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/form-separate-pay-commission-for-armed-forces-sc-to-govt/679121/
Posted: Wed Sep 08 2010, 18:08 hrs New Delhi:
Slamming the Centre for making army personnel run from pillar to post on their salary disputes, the Supreme Court today directed the government to examine the idea of setting up a separate Pay Commission for both serving and retired personnel of the armed forces.
A Bench of Justices Markandeya Katju and T S Thakur, asked Attorney General G E Vahanvati and Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to seek instructions from the government as to whether it was open to the idea of a separate pay commission that could be headed by a retired Chief Justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.
“The day the soldiers are forced to fight for their salaries, it would be a sad day for the country," the Bench said quoting Chanakya's advise to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
The apex court said the sane advise of Chanakya was valid even today and it was unfortunate that army personnel are forced to knock the doors of the court for rectifying their salary anomalies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sifynews
APEX COURT CALLS FOR PANEL FOR RETIRED DEFENCE STAFF
http://sify.com/news/apex-court-calls-for-panel-for-retired-defence-staff-news-national-kjimEeabiba.html
2010-09-08 12:40:00
The Supreme Court Wednesday suggested to the central government to set up an independent commission which would hear the grievances of retired defence officers and make recommendation for their redressal.
The court said that such a panel preferably headed by a retired Supreme Court judge would save these officers from running from pillar to post for redressal of their grievances.
It made the suggestion while hearing a petition of various armed forces officers who are seeking one rank one pension. The retired armed forces personnel have been denied this since the fourth Pay Commission.
The apex court bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice T.S. Thakur expressed its anguish at the retired officers not being given a hearing by the bureaucracy. The former officers returned their medals and burned their artificial limbs to protest the bureaucratic
apathy.
indian express.com
FORM SEPARATE PAY COMMISSION FOR ARMED FORCES:
SUPREME COURT TO GOVT OF INDIA
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/form-separate-pay-commission-for-armed-forces-sc-to-govt/679121/
Posted: Wed Sep 08 2010, 18:08 hrs New Delhi:
Slamming the Centre for making army personnel run from pillar to post on their salary disputes, the Supreme Court today directed the government to examine the idea of setting up a separate Pay Commission for both serving and retired personnel of the armed forces.
A Bench of Justices Markandeya Katju and T S Thakur, asked Attorney General G E Vahanvati and Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to seek instructions from the government as to whether it was open to the idea of a separate pay commission that could be headed by a retired Chief Justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.
“The day the soldiers are forced to fight for their salaries, it would be a sad day for the country," the Bench said quoting Chanakya's advise to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
The apex court said the sane advise of Chanakya was valid even today and it was unfortunate that army personnel are forced to knock the doors of the court for rectifying their salary anomalies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sifynews
APEX COURT CALLS FOR PANEL FOR RETIRED DEFENCE STAFF
http://sify.com/news/apex-court-calls-for-panel-for-retired-defence-staff-news-national-kjimEeabiba.html
2010-09-08 12:40:00
The Supreme Court Wednesday suggested to the central government to set up an independent commission which would hear the grievances of retired defence officers and make recommendation for their redressal.
The court said that such a panel preferably headed by a retired Supreme Court judge would save these officers from running from pillar to post for redressal of their grievances.
It made the suggestion while hearing a petition of various armed forces officers who are seeking one rank one pension. The retired armed forces personnel have been denied this since the fourth Pay Commission.
The apex court bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice T.S. Thakur expressed its anguish at the retired officers not being given a hearing by the bureaucracy. The former officers returned their medals and burned their artificial limbs to protest the bureaucratic
apathy.
Monday, September 6, 2010
" NOIDA RTI ACTIVIST'S FIGHT BEARS FRUIT" Cmde LK Batra
Dear Batra Sir,
Congrats for the felicitations in the Hindusran Times page no 4 dated 06 Sep 2010 as
" NOIDA RTI ACTIVIST'S FIGHT BEARS FRUIT"
cONGRATS FROM ALL OF US in IESM and NFDC.
Regards
Cdr Sharan Ahuja
Congrats for the felicitations in the Hindusran Times page no 4 dated 06 Sep 2010 as
" NOIDA RTI ACTIVIST'S FIGHT BEARS FRUIT"
cONGRATS FROM ALL OF US in IESM and NFDC.
Regards
Cdr Sharan Ahuja
Obituary- Lt Col R Thiruvengadam
I am sad to inform the demise of Veteran IC-20154 Lt Col R Thiruvengadam (Ordnance), on 05 Sep 10, at about 10.30 pm, in Ramachandra Hospital, Porur, Chennai.
He was a member of AFVOA & IESM.
The cremation will take place at 3 pm , on 07 Sep 10, in Kannamapet Crematorium, T Nagar, Chennai 600017. Last rites will be performed at his residence, from 11 am.
Contact details:-
Mrs ChandraThiruvengadam
C-169, AWHO Parameswaran Vihar,
67, Arcot Road, Saligramam, Chennai 600093
Ph:044-23651802
email- arun.thiruvengadam@gmail.com
He died after a short illness. He is survived by his wife & two sons.
May his soul rest in peace.
With deep regret,
Veteran Raman
Col (Retd) TN Raman
E5/230, AWHO Parameswaran Vihar,
67, Arcot Road, Saligramam,
Chennai 600093
Ph: 044-42013210
He was a member of AFVOA & IESM.
The cremation will take place at 3 pm , on 07 Sep 10, in Kannamapet Crematorium, T Nagar, Chennai 600017. Last rites will be performed at his residence, from 11 am.
Contact details:-
Mrs ChandraThiruvengadam
C-169, AWHO Parameswaran Vihar,
67, Arcot Road, Saligramam, Chennai 600093
Ph:044-23651802
email- arun.thiruvengadam@gmail.com
He died after a short illness. He is survived by his wife & two sons.
May his soul rest in peace.
With deep regret,
Veteran Raman
Col (Retd) TN Raman
E5/230, AWHO Parameswaran Vihar,
67, Arcot Road, Saligramam,
Chennai 600093
Ph: 044-42013210
Pension Payment Scheme Improvements
From: Ravindra Pathak
To: IESM Pension Group
Sent: Mon, 6 September, 2010 3:48:41 PM
Subject: [pensioncell_iesm] Pension Payment Scheme Improvements [1 Attachment]
Dear All
It appears that complaints have worked.
Some improvement may be on the way in the functioning of PDA and banks for pension payment.
Brgds
Ravi
Cdr Ravindra Waman Pathak I.N.(Retd)
To: IESM Pension Group
Sent: Mon, 6 September, 2010 3:48:41 PM
Subject: [pensioncell_iesm] Pension Payment Scheme Improvements [1 Attachment]
Dear All
It appears that complaints have worked.
Some improvement may be on the way in the functioning of PDA and banks for pension payment.
Brgds
Ravi
Cdr Ravindra Waman Pathak I.N.(Retd)
WRONG DISBURSMENT OF DEFENCE PENSION TO OLD PENSIONERS AND WIDOWS.
From: prabhjot singh [mailto:prabhjot_singh0@yahoo.com]
Sent: 04 September 2010 00:38
To: Kamboj Chander
Subject:
WRONG DISBURSMENT OF DEFENCE PENSION TO OLD PENSIONERS AND WIDOWS.
Dear Veteran Kamboj, Regards.
Efforts being made by all the NGOs under the guidance of IESM for 'One Rank One Pension' are highly appreciable but I would wish to request through 'Report My Signal', all the NGOs working for the welfare of the ex-servicemen to spare a few movements to dig and find out whether the pension, already being received by the old veterans and widows, is being disbursed correctly by the pension disbursing authorities.
A survey conducted by a joint team of Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (Regd.) and Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh has revealed shocking results.
War widow of Flt. Lt. Gurbax Singh Ahuja of 1965 fame has been receiving the pension of mere Rs. 3500/- PM only without an element of dearness allowance instead of Liberalized Pension of about Rs. 20,000/- PM till May last in spite of the fact that she has been knocking at the door of Pension Sanctioning Authority i.e. Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension), Allahabad through all concerned since 1987.
Now with the intervention of IESL, Punjab & Chandigarh, her pension (Ordinary) has been increased to Rs. 8310/= (basic) + Dearness Allowance @ 35% w.e.f. 01-01-2006 by the concerned pension disbursing authority pending the case of granting Liberalized Pension by Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension), Allahabad. The widow has received an amount of Rs. 4 lakhs as arrear with this revision.
A letter dated 19-08-2010 by Air Headquarter, New Delhi addressed to Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension), Allahabad has duly supported the entitlement of Liberalized Pension to the said war widow. As such, the pension of widow is expected to be revised by PCDA (P), Allahabad and she is likely to be granted Liberalized Pension of about Rs. 20,000/-PM with an arrear of Rs. 28-30 lakh after more than four decades with the recent efforts being made by this organization.
This is not a solitary case of wrong disbursment of Defence Pension. A widow of Sub. Gurdial Singh of a village near Amloh (now district Fatehgarh Sahib) has been receiving the pension of Sepoy's widow till August, 2009 i.e. two months before her death. Similarly, Sub. Sher Singh of Patiala State Forces has been receiving Sepoy's pension till a few months before his death in 2008. IESL Punjab & Chandigarh has been instrumental in getting their pension revised to correct amount.
The association has instructed its State & District Presidents to check the pensions of old widows, especially war widows to ascertain that they are receiving the correct amount of pension.
Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
President
Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (Regd.)
Mob: 098554-09128
-----------
THE END
Sent: 04 September 2010 00:38
To: Kamboj Chander
Subject:
WRONG DISBURSMENT OF DEFENCE PENSION TO OLD PENSIONERS AND WIDOWS.
Dear Veteran Kamboj, Regards.
Efforts being made by all the NGOs under the guidance of IESM for 'One Rank One Pension' are highly appreciable but I would wish to request through 'Report My Signal', all the NGOs working for the welfare of the ex-servicemen to spare a few movements to dig and find out whether the pension, already being received by the old veterans and widows, is being disbursed correctly by the pension disbursing authorities.
A survey conducted by a joint team of Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (Regd.) and Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh has revealed shocking results.
War widow of Flt. Lt. Gurbax Singh Ahuja of 1965 fame has been receiving the pension of mere Rs. 3500/- PM only without an element of dearness allowance instead of Liberalized Pension of about Rs. 20,000/- PM till May last in spite of the fact that she has been knocking at the door of Pension Sanctioning Authority i.e. Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension), Allahabad through all concerned since 1987.
Now with the intervention of IESL, Punjab & Chandigarh, her pension (Ordinary) has been increased to Rs. 8310/= (basic) + Dearness Allowance @ 35% w.e.f. 01-01-2006 by the concerned pension disbursing authority pending the case of granting Liberalized Pension by Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension), Allahabad. The widow has received an amount of Rs. 4 lakhs as arrear with this revision.
A letter dated 19-08-2010 by Air Headquarter, New Delhi addressed to Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension), Allahabad has duly supported the entitlement of Liberalized Pension to the said war widow. As such, the pension of widow is expected to be revised by PCDA (P), Allahabad and she is likely to be granted Liberalized Pension of about Rs. 20,000/-PM with an arrear of Rs. 28-30 lakh after more than four decades with the recent efforts being made by this organization.
This is not a solitary case of wrong disbursment of Defence Pension. A widow of Sub. Gurdial Singh of a village near Amloh (now district Fatehgarh Sahib) has been receiving the pension of Sepoy's widow till August, 2009 i.e. two months before her death. Similarly, Sub. Sher Singh of Patiala State Forces has been receiving Sepoy's pension till a few months before his death in 2008. IESL Punjab & Chandigarh has been instrumental in getting their pension revised to correct amount.
The association has instructed its State & District Presidents to check the pensions of old widows, especially war widows to ascertain that they are receiving the correct amount of pension.
Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
President
Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (Regd.)
Mob: 098554-09128
-----------
THE END
MINUTES OF HISTORICAL MEETING OF ALL INDIA EXSERVICEMEN ORGANISATIONS HELD AT CHANDIGARH ON 04 SEP 2010.
From: Exservicemen Joint Action Front Sanjha Morcha [mailto:sanjhamorcha2009@gmail.com]
Sent: 04 September 2010 12:05
To: Brig CS Kamboj
Subject: MINUTES OF HISTORICAL MEETING OF ALL INDIA EXSERVICEMEN ORGANISATIONS HELD AT CHANDIGARH ON 04 SEP 2010.
Ex.SERVICEMEN JOINT ACTION FRONT SANJHA MORCHA
Meeting was held at Chandigarh of all Ex-servicemen Organisations on 04 Sep 2010,under chairmanship of Brig HS Ghuman.The same was attended by thefollowing Veterans:-
(a) Brig Nawab Singh(b) Brig HS Ghuman,SC(c) Brig Harwant Singh(d) Brig KS Khalon(e) Brig IS Ghakhal(f) Brig SS Jaswal(Pkl)(g) Brig BK Kohli(h) Brig Opinder Singh(i) Col Rajan (Banglore)(j) Col Bhag Singh(k) Col RS Boparai(l) Col CJS Khera(m) Col Harinder Singh(n) Col SC Balli, SM(o) Col DS Bajwa(p) Col KYS Minhas(q) Capt CSSidhu(r) Sgt CS Saini(s) Sgt Jagdip Singh
2. Brig Nawab Singh conducted the meeting; in his welcome Note he welcomed Col Rajan, President IESM Karnataka and Five Southern States; and Col Bhag Singh, President IESL, Punjab and all heads of ESM organizations and Veteran attendees. He gave following points.3. Aim. Aim of the meeting was to forge unity amongst all ESM organsiations, ensure cooperation and project a united front to resolve all ESM issues through Director Sainik Welfare/Punjab Government/Union Government.
4. Outstanding Issues.A. Regain Original Order of Precedence.B. One Rank One Pension.C. Rank Pay Pension arrears as granted by 4th Pay Commission.D. Veterans Commission.E. Veterans Day.F. Voting Right to Soldiers at the place of Posting.
5. Discussions were held from 1030 h to 1330h and finally following decisions were taken.
6. Name of Only One Organization IESL [Indian Ex-servicemen league president(Punjab) Col Bhag Singh will be used for projecting all Ex-Serviceman Problems. All other Organizations will project common front and will project their issues united on one common letter endorsed by all organizations.
7. All Veterans Organizations will also take strength of Para Military Forces and their Organizational strength also for projecting united front.
8. All ESM will Strengthen the Office of Director Sainik Welfare and Provide him full Support and Cooperation. These organizations will also project case with CM for upgrading post of Director Sainik Welfare to Secretary Sanik Welfare. 9. Briefing the MP’s of Punjab on One Rank One Pension and other ESM issues. Brig Kahlon, Brig HS Ghuman, Brig Nawab Singh, Brig Harwant Singh and Col RS Boparai will be responsible for briefing all MP’s of Punjab on ESM issues within two months time.10. Following Issues Concerning ESM will be taken up for Resolution on Priority.A. Restoration of old Order Of Precedence.B. Grant of One rank One Pension.C. Correcting Anomalies of 4th pay Commission.D. Veterans Day. All will send their views on selection of Day i.e. & Dec/16 Dec/Any other day with justification to Brig Nawab Singh by 20 Sep.E. Veterans Commission.F. Lateral placement.G. Social Assistance to needy ESM.
11. All ESM organizations will exploit the Services of Blog of Sanjha Morcha for Information of All ESM.IESL will also share all their activities and achievements on this blog.
12. Assistance to Remnant Cases of 1984 Riots. All left over cases of 1984 will be taken up for assistance with the Government.
13. All ESM,s unanimously agreed to call ESM,s to visit on a Nominated Day to Anandpur Sahib Gurudwara; where they will give a call for unity of ESM and Prey to almighty for success of OROP. Please inform and request all ESM to converge there once we give a call.
14. Voting Right to Serving Soldiers. All ESM organizations gave a call for Registration of Soldiers for Voting at the Place of Posting. All present committed them for working towards this cause.
15. Action against Individual or ESM org functioning Against ESM Ethos and Against Interests of ESM. There are some Veterans and ESM org which are working against interests of ESM; all unanimously felt that we need to take action against such persons by declaring them “outcast”. All unanimously authorized Brig Nawab Singh to initiate suitable action against such Veterans in future.
16. IESL Meeting with COAS. On 21 Sep 2010, Col Bhag Singh has a meeting with COAS to discuss ESM related issues; all Org are requested to pass on the points to him by 20 Sep.In future all organizations will share their programme with each other and invite others to join hands. All will ensure that programme dates of two organizations do not clash.
17. It was decided to hold a meeting of all ESM at DSW office on first Saturday of each month for ESM of Tri City and Once a Quarter for ESM of All India.
18. Brig HS Ghuman and Brig IS Ghakhal and Col RS Boparai gave a call for forging unity amongst all ESM organizations at least for one year to see the best results. All heads of ESM organizations agreed to join hands. Brig Nawab Singh(Retd)M-9915020040Coordinator
With Warm Regards
Gen Secy
Ex.SERVICEMEN JOINT ACTION FRONT (Sanjha Morcha)
Sent: 04 September 2010 12:05
To: Brig CS Kamboj
Subject: MINUTES OF HISTORICAL MEETING OF ALL INDIA EXSERVICEMEN ORGANISATIONS HELD AT CHANDIGARH ON 04 SEP 2010.
Ex.SERVICEMEN JOINT ACTION FRONT SANJHA MORCHA
Meeting was held at Chandigarh of all Ex-servicemen Organisations on 04 Sep 2010,under chairmanship of Brig HS Ghuman.The same was attended by thefollowing Veterans:-
(a) Brig Nawab Singh(b) Brig HS Ghuman,SC(c) Brig Harwant Singh(d) Brig KS Khalon(e) Brig IS Ghakhal(f) Brig SS Jaswal(Pkl)(g) Brig BK Kohli(h) Brig Opinder Singh(i) Col Rajan (Banglore)(j) Col Bhag Singh(k) Col RS Boparai(l) Col CJS Khera(m) Col Harinder Singh(n) Col SC Balli, SM(o) Col DS Bajwa(p) Col KYS Minhas(q) Capt CSSidhu(r) Sgt CS Saini(s) Sgt Jagdip Singh
2. Brig Nawab Singh conducted the meeting; in his welcome Note he welcomed Col Rajan, President IESM Karnataka and Five Southern States; and Col Bhag Singh, President IESL, Punjab and all heads of ESM organizations and Veteran attendees. He gave following points.3. Aim. Aim of the meeting was to forge unity amongst all ESM organsiations, ensure cooperation and project a united front to resolve all ESM issues through Director Sainik Welfare/Punjab Government/Union Government.
4. Outstanding Issues.A. Regain Original Order of Precedence.B. One Rank One Pension.C. Rank Pay Pension arrears as granted by 4th Pay Commission.D. Veterans Commission.E. Veterans Day.F. Voting Right to Soldiers at the place of Posting.
5. Discussions were held from 1030 h to 1330h and finally following decisions were taken.
6. Name of Only One Organization IESL [Indian Ex-servicemen league president(Punjab) Col Bhag Singh will be used for projecting all Ex-Serviceman Problems. All other Organizations will project common front and will project their issues united on one common letter endorsed by all organizations.
7. All Veterans Organizations will also take strength of Para Military Forces and their Organizational strength also for projecting united front.
8. All ESM will Strengthen the Office of Director Sainik Welfare and Provide him full Support and Cooperation. These organizations will also project case with CM for upgrading post of Director Sainik Welfare to Secretary Sanik Welfare. 9. Briefing the MP’s of Punjab on One Rank One Pension and other ESM issues. Brig Kahlon, Brig HS Ghuman, Brig Nawab Singh, Brig Harwant Singh and Col RS Boparai will be responsible for briefing all MP’s of Punjab on ESM issues within two months time.10. Following Issues Concerning ESM will be taken up for Resolution on Priority.A. Restoration of old Order Of Precedence.B. Grant of One rank One Pension.C. Correcting Anomalies of 4th pay Commission.D. Veterans Day. All will send their views on selection of Day i.e. & Dec/16 Dec/Any other day with justification to Brig Nawab Singh by 20 Sep.E. Veterans Commission.F. Lateral placement.G. Social Assistance to needy ESM.
11. All ESM organizations will exploit the Services of Blog of Sanjha Morcha for Information of All ESM.IESL will also share all their activities and achievements on this blog.
12. Assistance to Remnant Cases of 1984 Riots. All left over cases of 1984 will be taken up for assistance with the Government.
13. All ESM,s unanimously agreed to call ESM,s to visit on a Nominated Day to Anandpur Sahib Gurudwara; where they will give a call for unity of ESM and Prey to almighty for success of OROP. Please inform and request all ESM to converge there once we give a call.
14. Voting Right to Serving Soldiers. All ESM organizations gave a call for Registration of Soldiers for Voting at the Place of Posting. All present committed them for working towards this cause.
15. Action against Individual or ESM org functioning Against ESM Ethos and Against Interests of ESM. There are some Veterans and ESM org which are working against interests of ESM; all unanimously felt that we need to take action against such persons by declaring them “outcast”. All unanimously authorized Brig Nawab Singh to initiate suitable action against such Veterans in future.
16. IESL Meeting with COAS. On 21 Sep 2010, Col Bhag Singh has a meeting with COAS to discuss ESM related issues; all Org are requested to pass on the points to him by 20 Sep.In future all organizations will share their programme with each other and invite others to join hands. All will ensure that programme dates of two organizations do not clash.
17. It was decided to hold a meeting of all ESM at DSW office on first Saturday of each month for ESM of Tri City and Once a Quarter for ESM of All India.
18. Brig HS Ghuman and Brig IS Ghakhal and Col RS Boparai gave a call for forging unity amongst all ESM organizations at least for one year to see the best results. All heads of ESM organizations agreed to join hands. Brig Nawab Singh(Retd)M-9915020040Coordinator
With Warm Regards
Gen Secy
Ex.SERVICEMEN JOINT ACTION FRONT (Sanjha Morcha)
‘One Rank One Pension’Brig(Retd) K.G.Behl
From: Brij Thapa [mailto:brijmeera@gmail.com]
Sent: 04 September 2010 12:45
Subject: : One Rank One Post- Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
‘One Rank One Pension’Brig(Retd) K.G.Behl
President Dehradun Ex Services League
A lot has been said about ‘One Rank One Pension’ in both houses of Parliament and in the electronic media and Press and nothing has crystallized except that Govt. may give it in long term and in stages. In Punjabi there is a saying “ Dud de gi per maingna paa ke” which means that they will give milk but spoil it with goat’s shit, so that it may stink and become beyond use. It is exactly being done in some of the cases like ‘Rank Pay’ inspite of the clear orders from Hon’ble Courts and same is the story with OROP. They, perhaps, do not know as to how many persons have passed away from 1.1.1986 without getting their due and now the benefits are being denying to their families.
In my recent open letter to the Hon’ble Prime Minister I have pointed out as to how the Defence Personnel are being humiliated by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) who are working as per their whims and fancies instead of implementing orders as passed by Govt. in their Gazette notifications. It is pity that there is no one to check them and see what data they are submitting to various committees and commissions set up. It is happening because of absence of Armed Forces personnel at the decision making level, be it at the Pay Commissions, Govt. Defence committees or within the MOD, to pursue agenda and represent correct facts. This needs to be implemented forthwith like USA and other countries where Defence Officers are inducted in MOD and other decision taking committees / commissions, so that their problems could be projected correctly and justice could be done to them.
I have also written to the Hon’ble P.M. that Govt. Orders are not being faithfully implemented by MOD and anomalies pointed out by competent people are either being ignored or swept under the carpet. MOD needs to be reoriented and told to act as per rules and not as per their whims and fancies. Surprisingly, no one is hauled up by Ministers for not taking actions or distorting orders, though the cases are self explanatory and need no other assistance, legal or otherwise. There are a number of cases where they have allowed payments to some individuals who raised those but though as per rules, they are denying others the same benefits. Once a mistake has been detected it should automatically be rectified in all similar cases without asking by other affected persons or Courts. It is pity that no such action is being taken to benefit other affected persons.
They say ‘where there is will, there is a way.’ But if the MOD is bent upon doing such mischief and are not bothered even of Hon’ble Courts orders and the Ministers, what can one expect from the Govt. except requesting the Hon’ble PM to introduce necessary changes as suggested in our earlier letter and reiterated above. Setting up a separate Commission for Defence Forces to resolve the peace meal changes introduced which have made every thing topsy-turvy especially in Rank, Pay and status in grade.
‘One Rank One Pension’ is not a big issue as it has been projected by the MOD. As we all know that during 3rd CPC, all ranks, including officers, were being retired at the pension of 50% of the maximum Pay of the scale they held at the time of retirement, proportionate to the number of years of service one put in at that time, 30 years being the maximum to earn full pension at that time.. Some weightage was given for service to different ranks to get proportionately better pension since they retire at comparatively younger age. This weightage has now reached 30 years for all ranks, required to earn full pension. In case of other ranks too it would have reached 33 years had the data put up before the committee of secretaries constituted for considering this aspect, been put up by MOD to 33 years to earn full pension, instead of 30 years they considered. The 5th CPC had enhanced the weightage by two to three years vide para133.18 & 162.11. Anyhow, it is a minor issue and can be considered even now in that context and can be raised to 33 years.
Once it is done and all are retired at the 50% of the maximum of the scale they held at the time of retirement, the problem of one rank one pension, automatically gets solved. It is compatible with civil too where practically every one retires at the maximum of the scale one holds at the time of retirement.
It is thus a simple issue and will not require large funds as is being projected as most of the personnel are already getting big chunk of it which needs to be supplemented. It will not invite any repercussions from any where or have administrative problems as apprehended, as practically all retire at the maximum of the scale one holds at the time of retirement in civil.
We once again request the Hon’ble Prime Minster to immediately intervene and provide justice to Armed Forces.
---------
Sent: 04 September 2010 12:45
Subject: : One Rank One Post- Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
‘One Rank One Pension’Brig(Retd) K.G.Behl
President Dehradun Ex Services League
A lot has been said about ‘One Rank One Pension’ in both houses of Parliament and in the electronic media and Press and nothing has crystallized except that Govt. may give it in long term and in stages. In Punjabi there is a saying “ Dud de gi per maingna paa ke” which means that they will give milk but spoil it with goat’s shit, so that it may stink and become beyond use. It is exactly being done in some of the cases like ‘Rank Pay’ inspite of the clear orders from Hon’ble Courts and same is the story with OROP. They, perhaps, do not know as to how many persons have passed away from 1.1.1986 without getting their due and now the benefits are being denying to their families.
In my recent open letter to the Hon’ble Prime Minister I have pointed out as to how the Defence Personnel are being humiliated by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) who are working as per their whims and fancies instead of implementing orders as passed by Govt. in their Gazette notifications. It is pity that there is no one to check them and see what data they are submitting to various committees and commissions set up. It is happening because of absence of Armed Forces personnel at the decision making level, be it at the Pay Commissions, Govt. Defence committees or within the MOD, to pursue agenda and represent correct facts. This needs to be implemented forthwith like USA and other countries where Defence Officers are inducted in MOD and other decision taking committees / commissions, so that their problems could be projected correctly and justice could be done to them.
I have also written to the Hon’ble P.M. that Govt. Orders are not being faithfully implemented by MOD and anomalies pointed out by competent people are either being ignored or swept under the carpet. MOD needs to be reoriented and told to act as per rules and not as per their whims and fancies. Surprisingly, no one is hauled up by Ministers for not taking actions or distorting orders, though the cases are self explanatory and need no other assistance, legal or otherwise. There are a number of cases where they have allowed payments to some individuals who raised those but though as per rules, they are denying others the same benefits. Once a mistake has been detected it should automatically be rectified in all similar cases without asking by other affected persons or Courts. It is pity that no such action is being taken to benefit other affected persons.
They say ‘where there is will, there is a way.’ But if the MOD is bent upon doing such mischief and are not bothered even of Hon’ble Courts orders and the Ministers, what can one expect from the Govt. except requesting the Hon’ble PM to introduce necessary changes as suggested in our earlier letter and reiterated above. Setting up a separate Commission for Defence Forces to resolve the peace meal changes introduced which have made every thing topsy-turvy especially in Rank, Pay and status in grade.
‘One Rank One Pension’ is not a big issue as it has been projected by the MOD. As we all know that during 3rd CPC, all ranks, including officers, were being retired at the pension of 50% of the maximum Pay of the scale they held at the time of retirement, proportionate to the number of years of service one put in at that time, 30 years being the maximum to earn full pension at that time.. Some weightage was given for service to different ranks to get proportionately better pension since they retire at comparatively younger age. This weightage has now reached 30 years for all ranks, required to earn full pension. In case of other ranks too it would have reached 33 years had the data put up before the committee of secretaries constituted for considering this aspect, been put up by MOD to 33 years to earn full pension, instead of 30 years they considered. The 5th CPC had enhanced the weightage by two to three years vide para133.18 & 162.11. Anyhow, it is a minor issue and can be considered even now in that context and can be raised to 33 years.
Once it is done and all are retired at the 50% of the maximum of the scale they held at the time of retirement, the problem of one rank one pension, automatically gets solved. It is compatible with civil too where practically every one retires at the maximum of the scale one holds at the time of retirement.
It is thus a simple issue and will not require large funds as is being projected as most of the personnel are already getting big chunk of it which needs to be supplemented. It will not invite any repercussions from any where or have administrative problems as apprehended, as practically all retire at the maximum of the scale one holds at the time of retirement in civil.
We once again request the Hon’ble Prime Minster to immediately intervene and provide justice to Armed Forces.
---------
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Leh Donations List
LEH RELIEF
Dear Friends,
1. Further to email dated 23 Aug 2010 as given below. The under mentioned additional cheques received at IESM HQ for LEH RELIEF.
Cheque Received at IESM HQ Ser NoRank and Name Amount (in Rs) Cheque/DD/Cash
1.Prof. Archandeep Dixit Rs.2500 086815 dt 18 Aug 2010
2.Lt Col R.K Chawla Rs.1000 779197 dt 15 Aug 2010
3.Lt Col J K Kachari Rs.1100 255444 dt 16 Aug 2010
4.Lt Col Gautam S Prasad Rs. 10000 001122 dt 20 Aug 2010
5.Col B Bhattacharya Rs.2000 195297 dt 21 Aug 2010
6.Brig Kuldeep Verma Rs.3000 By Cash
7.Col JL Chatterji Rs.1000 258894 dt 18 Aug 2010
8.Col S V Jayachandaran Rs.501 501215 dt 20 Aug 2010
9.Wing Cdr S P Chaudhary Rs. 1000 887001 dt 13 Aug 2010
10.Wing Cdr Jagmohan Singh Kundan Rs. 1000 468714 dt25 Aug 2010
11.Commander T N Singhal Rs.5000 695928 dt 23 Aug 2010
12.Brig Thyaga Rajan Rs. 1000 277693 dt 18 Aug 2010
13.Jay Prakas Chhetry (Nibbana Co-Operative Housing Society Ltd)Rs. 101 630774 dt 13 Aug 2010
14.Col Aloke Rudra Rs.2000 106014 dt 26 Aug 2010
Total Rs.30302
Donate generously and motivate others.
With Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement
Mobile: 9312404269, 0124-4110570
Letter to MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar:Salary hike for MPs and the issue of ‘one rank one pension’
From: President, Navy Foundation, Delhi
To: Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP.
Dear Mr Rajeev,
On behalf of the Navy Foundation, whose members are all retired officers of the Indian Navy, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks and our great admiration for your frank letter of 25th August to the Prime Minister on the subject of Salary hike for MPs and the issue of ‘one rank one pension’ or OROP for ex-servicemen. If I may be permitted to say so, that the letter was a brilliant piece of analysis of decision making by the government. You have put forth in such a logical and succinct manner the double standards being followed. The recourse to refer any issue to a committee of bureaucrats when the government does not want to take a decision is what is affecting many issues of governance including OROP for ex-servicemen. As you have so rightly summed up ‘the bureaucrats have acquired great abilities for obstructive conduct’.
We are grateful to you, Sir, for repeatedly taking up with the Prime Minister and at other fora the injustices to ex-servicemen and denial of OROP. Your decision to forego your salary hike as an MP till OROP is resolved has won our hearts and deepest gratitude. It is heartening to know that there is at least one MP, who has the welfare of those who have silently and selflessly served the nation in peace and in war and who now appear to have been conveniently forgotten. We believe in the power of one and even though you are an Independent, you are on so many Standing and Consultative Committees of the Parliament and we repose full faith in you..
We once again thank you for taking up our cause and salute you for your ideals and principles in fighting the obvious double standards in governance. There are not many like you in the country.
To: Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP.
Dear Mr Rajeev,
On behalf of the Navy Foundation, whose members are all retired officers of the Indian Navy, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks and our great admiration for your frank letter of 25th August to the Prime Minister on the subject of Salary hike for MPs and the issue of ‘one rank one pension’ or OROP for ex-servicemen. If I may be permitted to say so, that the letter was a brilliant piece of analysis of decision making by the government. You have put forth in such a logical and succinct manner the double standards being followed. The recourse to refer any issue to a committee of bureaucrats when the government does not want to take a decision is what is affecting many issues of governance including OROP for ex-servicemen. As you have so rightly summed up ‘the bureaucrats have acquired great abilities for obstructive conduct’.
We are grateful to you, Sir, for repeatedly taking up with the Prime Minister and at other fora the injustices to ex-servicemen and denial of OROP. Your decision to forego your salary hike as an MP till OROP is resolved has won our hearts and deepest gratitude. It is heartening to know that there is at least one MP, who has the welfare of those who have silently and selflessly served the nation in peace and in war and who now appear to have been conveniently forgotten. We believe in the power of one and even though you are an Independent, you are on so many Standing and Consultative Committees of the Parliament and we repose full faith in you..
We once again thank you for taking up our cause and salute you for your ideals and principles in fighting the obvious double standards in governance. There are not many like you in the country.
Reply from MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar to President , NFDC
Dear Vice Admiral Singh,
Thank you for your kind email. Your words encourage me to continue my efforts at letting the country know what our armed forces veterans have done for us and what we owe them for our freedom and democracy.
I don't know how successful my efforts will be. But I assure you that I will continue to do what I do.
My best wishes and respects to you.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Member of Parliament
Thank you for your kind email. Your words encourage me to continue my efforts at letting the country know what our armed forces veterans have done for us and what we owe them for our freedom and democracy.
I don't know how successful my efforts will be. But I assure you that I will continue to do what I do.
My best wishes and respects to you.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Member of Parliament
FINAL HEARING...PENSION OF MAJORS AND EQUIVALENTS -CASE IN AFT NEW DELHI
From: avtar singh avtar_singh10@hotmail.com
Sent: 31 August 2010 10:08
To: A S Bhatia
Cc: kamboj_cs@yahoo.co.in; TRUNCATED;
Subject: FINAL HEARING
Dear All,
Final hearing of our case has begun today and was incoclusive.
Next date for final argument is 7 Sep 2010
Regards
Avtar Singh
31-8-2010
Sent: 31 August 2010 10:08
To: A S Bhatia
Cc: kamboj_cs@yahoo.co.in; TRUNCATED;
Subject: FINAL HEARING
Dear All,
Final hearing of our case has begun today and was incoclusive.
Next date for final argument is 7 Sep 2010
Regards
Avtar Singh
31-8-2010
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