SCPC: Convoluting the Morale of Ex- Servicemen and Career of the Military

Dear All,
I have sent a letter to the PM and sent copies to the three Chiefs; copies are as under: -
Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS)
Former Director Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS)
President
War Wounded Foundation
Plot No. 339, Village - Shahabad Mohammadpur, Opp. Pump House No. 3,
Near IGI Airport, Delhi- 110061
E-mail- warwounded@rediffmail.com; enquiry@warwounded.org.
Web site War Wounded
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COPY OF LETTER TO THE PM
12522/VO/CPC/1
28 December 2008

In the last seven years since my retirement as the Vice Chief of our army in 2001, I have addressed you only twice. The first was on the Siachin issue, where I had urged you not to agree to the formulations of Pakistan; the second was my suggestion relating to employing ex-servicemen in nation-building projects, if genuine implementation was desired. Fortunately, on both occasions you were gracious enough to reply and assure me that the concerns I had reflected had been noted.

I am now approaching you for the third time to share perhaps the most important issue, which has a direct bearing on the security of the nation. The concern has added meaning in the light of the developing situation on our western borders. I do hope this is placed on your table by your staff and not hijacked enroute by those who have vested interests!

The issue I am taking your valuable time about is the morale and welfare of an extremely important and valuable segment of the nations’ polity, viz. the officers and jawans of the defence forces, both serving and those who have hung up their boots after serving the nation with all their might. You must be already ‘au fait’ with the tragedy of the 6th Pay Commission, or at least those aspects which have been brought to your notice by both the current Chiefs’ of the defence forces, the erstwhile Chiefs’ and other senior officers of the forces, as well as the versions of others who no doubt have briefed you from time to time.

According to media reports, you are already discussing the major issues placed before you by the Chiefs’, relative to the serving personnel. It would therefore be incorrect on my part to say anything about them. However, I do wish to draw your attention to the plight of the ex-servicemen, who unfortunately have no “mai-baap”, except the political leaders of the nation. There are of course many “spoilers” sitting in important positions of the government, who, I am sure are well known to you. When the majority of political leaders are also not amenable to listen to their genuine pleas for justice, where do the ex-servicemen go? Obviously to you, Sir, and hence this letter.

There are far too many anomalies that are making the ex-servicemen both angry and frustrated, but I will only mention the important ones. I am afraid what is really rankling is that your government, your party, as well as the common minimum programme of the UPA have failed to honour the commitments made to them relating to the issue of “One Rank One Pension (OROP)”. Sir, I cannot obviously go into details, but the situation today is that over 30 lakh ex-servicemen are a disillusioned lot, and their demeanour affects not only their morale and that of their families (which may be inconsequential in the view of your advisers, on account of their ignorance) but more importantly the morale of those aspiring to have a career in the defence forces, as well as the serving personnel who know that they are the ex-servicemen of tomorrow and will therefore meet a similar fate.

It is highly unfortunate that the bureaucrats, however intelligent and clever they may be, can never discern the extent of disillusionment there is amongst the soldiery of the country, which has been systematically downgraded by naïve and ignorant persons because of their “tunnel vision” and not thinking about the interests of the nation. Let me state unequivocally that the Indian military continues to be the most loyal segment of the polity of India and it needs to be nurtured and supported and not ignored or reduced in esteem.

The second and related issue is that the government has given virtual OROP to the Chiefs and C’s-in-C, but has denied it to all others including our jawans. In the military we have always ensured that our subordinates get all dues and perks first and only thereafter the senior defence officers get them. I do agree that such ethos does not prevail amongst the bureaucracy for a variety of reasons, which I am sure are well known to you. However, by giving virtual OROP to the very few senior most military veterans, great injustice has been done to our subordinates. This needs to be set right immediately. You may well say that it is equally applicable to the civil officials, but the situation is markedly different between civil and military officials. As an example, nearly 90 per cent IAS, IFS and IPS officers retire in the Apex or the HAG Plus scales, but in the case of the military officers the equivalent percentage is barely 0.001! Neither is there a case for inadequacy of funds, for the total amount even in these inflationary times is less than Rs. 2200 crores, which is not even 2.08 percent of this years defence budget and a minuscule percentage of the nation’s budget.

The third issue is that of the bungling done by the civilian government officials, wherein the amount of pension sanctioned for officers of different rank, viz. brigadiers, major generals and lieutenant generals is identical. This, besides its incongruity, is also an invitation to the serving officers to quit the service after becoming brigadiers as in any case their pension would be the same in higher ranks! Surely, in the interest of the security of the nation that could not be your intention. I could cite more such examples but I am sure a wise person like you would have understood the illogicality of such dispensations.

May I in the end draw your attention to the fast deteriorating civil-military relationship in the country, which does not auger well for the future security of the country, especially in these unstable and turbulent times? The Indian military has scrupulously and unwaveringly followed the principle of remaining apolitical, even at the cost of its legitimate aspirations not being met. In the larger national interest, the balance between these two arms of the government must continue and be even fine-tuned, but there is need to mention that it is fast reaching a breaking point. I am afraid, Sir that your personal intervention is needed to set this balance right, so that the ship of state remains on an even keel.

Dr. Manmohan Singh
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister’s Office
New Delhi-110011


COPY OF LETTER TO THE THREE CHIEFS
12522/VO/6CPC/1
28 December 2008

ANOMALIES- PENSIONARY BENEFITS
The pensionary awards for the military veterans are a great disappointment. There is great resentment amongst the rank and file, which obviously is neither good for the country nor the defence forces. I need not go into details as you must already be fully apprised of them.

I have addressed a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard, a copy of which I am enclosing, both for your information and for your support, which would be invaluable.

General Deepak Kapoor, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
Chief of the Army Staff

Admiral Sureesh Mehta, PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Chief of the Naval Staff

Air Chief Marshal F H Major, PVSM, AVSM, SC, VM, ADC
Chief of the Air Staff