Giving Soldiers their Due

One more Vijay Diwas! One more Army Day or yet another Republic Day! For the politicians and the bureaucrats, it is time to dig out the names of some martyrs and their families, dish out a few goodies and show empathy. Oh yes, it is time to impress the public and hog the limelight and then quickly turn your face away till the Independence Day at least. My contention is well substantiated by a series of stories being carried in this News Paper on the plight of war torn martyrs’ families.

At a recently held state sponsored Vijay Diwas function, the district stadium was filled with a motley crowd of special invitees, school children and many tamaash beens. The sound of trumpets ushered in the chief guest. An army band played the national anthem that was followed by a wreath laying ceremony and a march past. From the dais, a local politician babbled incoherently for a while and then solemnly distributed a couple of wheel chairs and sewing machines to a few selected disabled soldiers and to some veiled widows. A cultural programme and some more speeches later, the show ended. Next day, the media would splash pictures of the VIPs.

Standing next to me in the crowd, a frail looking war widow with two young children, fixed her gaze vacantly at the march past. Her husband was killed in an ambush in J&K. Five years ago, when his body bag was brought home; a local politician assured her a liberal financial aid, a government job and free education for her children. Nothing materialized. Sadly, back home in her own village, she became an outcast and recluse over a period. She now works as a maidservant. No, a ‘domestic help’ should sound more dignified.

Sadly, she is not the only one fighting a losing battle to redeem her status and dignity. In wars, it is the women, besides parents, who suffer the most, remain as widows and shoulder the burden of bringing up the orphans in endless struggle. Today, a very large community of ex- servicemen including widows, veterans and war heroes, mostly spread in rural India, are faced with a similar predicament. Shunned and rebuffed at every doorstep of bureaucracy, this helpless lot is made to run from pillar to post in search of a respectable rehabilitation and lost esteem. Ironically, soldiers who are sent away to defend our nation are made to fend for themselves in their own society when they return. Is this the way to show our gratitude to our brave soldiers? Why can’t the government, the bureaucracy and the common man be more sensitive to their aspirations?

Statistically, the government has introduced many welfare schemes for the Ex-servicemen. The problem actually lies in implementation. Due to lack of political will, most of these schemes remain buried in files and folders gathering dust. Local leaders who come and make tall promises soon get busy elsewhere protecting their vote banks. The bureaucracy just follows suit.

The prevailing malady needs to be tackled on two fronts. At grass root level, the ESM community, lying fragmented across the country, must some how form itself into a formidable and cohesive political force to be able to participate in the process of governance and policy making.

Secondly, the government should set up an autonomous apex body, say like NHRC, headed by a retired army chief and equipped with sufficient powers, with a clear cut and sole objective of fulfilling the aspirations of ex- servicemen. All other existing establishments with similar objectives should be dovetailed in to this apex body. A responsive chain of command with effective feedback mechanism should identify major problem areas of ex-servicemen and recommend new welfare measures if required. One can then hope that pending related issues like ‘one rank one pay’ and many more can be resolved expeditiously.

In the growing economy, the government must strengthen the financial backbone of the defence community by offering a comprehensive rehabilitation package and liberal concessions post retirement to assure a hassle free retired life.

Our Armed forces are the best- trained outfits in the world. Not many armies can boast of concluding a campaign as swiftly and as successfully as we did in the 1971 war. We as nation must feel indebted to our soldiers.

Today, the ex-guardians of the nation, mostly in their twilight years, are struggling to lead their residual lifespan in peace and dignity. A disabled soldier is not interested in how many candles are lit at a war memorial when the one in his own heart has got blown away. A widow is not interested in how many praises are sung on martyrs’ day when her own hero is not alive to sing in praise of her. Some one has rightly said,

“Our God and soldier we alike adore
Just at the brink of ruin not before
The danger past, both are alike requited
God is forgotten and the soldier slighted”
Let us not be branded as a nation of hypocrites.
Let us resolve to return the debt of a soldier in a befitting manner?

NS Ahuja
Col (Retd)

Extract of letter received by Brig CS Kamboj, VSM, from Col NS Ahuja

"Visited your blog site. It is interesting, very informative, very well planned and even a better lay out. My sincere thanks and compliments to you and your team. You people are doing a great job indeed. Besides, it provides a suitable platform for airing and sharing views. I keep getting your Report My Signal email too and, in fact, look fwd to it.
I am tempted to send one of my articles, ‘Giving soldiers their due’, carried recently in the weekly column ‘Defence Talk” in HT Chandigarh edition. The article focuses on the plight of ESM in our civil society and suggests some possible steps. Thought of sharing with other brother officers."

Blog Team thanks Col NS Ahuja for the thought provoking article and bringing to focus the plight of ESM and widows of Martyrs'.