IESM: Fast for Justice Press Release

INDIAN EX SERVICEMEN MOVEMENT
Press Note
Dated: 27 December 2008
Ex Servicemen on Relay Hunger Strike and Fast Unto death since 16 Dec 2008.
Govt Apathy Disturbing

Dear Members of the Press,

“My Lord, that the day when the Mauryan soldier has to demand his dues or, worse, plead for them, will neither have arrived overnight nor in vain. It will also bode ill for Magadha. For then, on that day, you, My Lord, you will have lost all moral sanction to be King! It will also be the beginning of the end of the Mauryan Empire!!"” (Kautalya)

1. Relay Hunger Strike and Fast unto death by Ex Servicemen enters the 12th Day, six of them are on Fast unto death. They are Major Ishwar Singh Jakhar, Capt Om Parkash, Subedar Major SR Dhaiya, Sep Suleman Khan, Naik Rekh Raj and Naik RK Yadav. It is most disturbing that the Govt is totally unmindful of the anguish and hurt feelings of Ex Servicemen. They feel more aggrieved with the logic given by the Govt for rejecting the One Rank One Pension (OROP), the most genuine demand of the Ex Servicemen. The Govt has said, grant of OROP is not necessary thereby indicating that the Ex servicemen are the Fired Cartridges and need not be given the OROP. Secondly, it has said that the morale of the Defence Forces will not be affected since they will look after the interest of serving personal at the time of their retirement. Thirdly, the Govt does not find it affordable. These reveal the degenerated mind of the Govt functionaries tasked to go into the grievances of Defence Personnel. Fired Cartridge status to Ex Servicemen proves the old saying,” God and Soldiers are remembered only during distress and danger and once the danger is gone, the God is forgotten and the soldier is slighted”. Who would like to join the Defence Forces since over 95% of them will be compulsorily retired between the ages of 35 – 42 and will be going through 4 – 5 Pay Commissions in their life time? Down gradation by every Pay Commission will force them to live life of penury.

2. Secondly, the logic that the Morale of Defence Forces will not be affected is illogical. Mostly, the children and relations of Ex Servicemen are serving in the Defence Forces. The ill-treatment to their elders will definitely adversely affect their morale. Also, they will be facing the same treatment. It is pertinent to mention that there is no politician or the bureaucrat who has sent his/ her children in the Defence Forces. How will they know the pain of losing their loved ones and the extreme adverse conditions they live in? Lastly, the affordability, their logic is a crude joke. The total amount worked out by the Govt in August 03 for OROP was only Rupees 613 crores. This amount for the Govt is nothing even after escalation and 6th CPC award is added to it.

3. Therefore the reasons given are totally illogical and flimsy, to say the least. Sh. Jaswant Singh the leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha has also written to the RM Sh. AK Antony to urgently so resolve the issue of OROP as to enable the Relay Fast at Jantar Mantar to be cabled off.

4. We implore the Govt to immediately grant OROP. Non grant of OROP will be violative of article 14 of the constitution. The Govt cannot create classes within the class. Irrespective of the date of retirement the Defence Personnel of the same rank must be given the same pension, ruled the Supreme Court in judgment delivered on 09 Sep 2008. The Govt must honour the legal advice and grant OROP immediately.

With Kind Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement
Pension - Supreme court Judgments, Central pay commissions observations & the Government