SCPC: Fast for Justice, Press Release

IESM: Press Note Dated 18 Dec 2008
Dear Members of the Press and Media,
1. Letter addressed to the Defence Minister, Sh. AK Antony is enclosed for your information please. The copy of the letter has also been sent to the President, PM, UPA Chairperson and Leader of the Opposition.

2. The external and internal threats have assumed serious dimensions. Pakistan is bleeding India through the thousand cuts. The latest Terrorist Attack in Mumbai indicates the level and depth of the internal threat to our country. All states have become Border States and no State is an Hinterland. The ordinary citizen is not safe and secure.

3. We, implore you (the media) to play your rightful role to give wide publicity to the seriousness of the situation. The Nation has to be prepared to fight the threats with total victory. The resources in terms of triple M (Men, Material and Minutes (Time) are of paramount importance for such preparations. It is here that the best youth need to be attracted to join the Defence Forces. The Govt, must therefore need to take measures towards this most important aspect of the profession of Arms.

4. We request our worthy members of the media to take up the cause of Defence Forces. Please cover our events extensively. May we request you to kindly carry this letter in your paper/TV Channels. We also request you to visit the site of "Relay Fast For Justice" at Jantar Mantar New Delhi, which commenced with effect from 16 December 2008 the day of “Vijay Diwas” to bring to the notice of the people of India about their grave grievances. Please cover the event as daily bulletin.

With Kind Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement

To
Shri A.K. Antony
Defence Minister
104, South Block
13, Parliament House
New Delhi – 110001
Grave Injustice to The Defence Forces Personnel: 6th CPC
Hon’ble Defence Minister,
1. It was with the sense of deja-vu, dismay and consternation that we read the following statement by you in the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question by Shri Kalraj Mishra:
“Government has not found acceptable the demand of Ex-Servicemen for one rank one pension. The defence personnel have not rejected the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission”.

2. This statement of yours has sent shock waves and a feeling of frustration amongst Defence Personnel, both serving and retired. You as Defence Minister have apparently washed your hands of the genuine and just demands of the Defence Forces. It is quite evident from your statement that you as Defence Minister have either not forcefully taken up our case with the cabinet or have fallen prey to the shenanigans of the bureaucracy.

3. I would like to bring to your kind notice that the 6th CPC in their recommendations vide Paras 5-1-47 had recommended that the revised pension in no case would be lower than 50% of the sum of the minimum of the pay in the pay band and the grade pay thereon corresponding to the pre revised pay scale from which the pensioner had retired. This proposal was accepted by the Govt in a Memorandum dated 01 September 2008. However, this paragraph was amended by Ministry of Personnel on 03.10.08 to read “pension calculated at 50% of the pay in pay band+grade pay would be calculated (i) at the minimum of the pay in the pay band (irrespective of the pre-revised pay scale) plus the grade pay corresponding to pre-revised pay scale”. The net result being that all officers in Pay Band 4 will be getting the same pension. If this anomaly is removed by cancelling this amendment of the Ministry of Personnel and implementing the original paragraph as accepted by the Govt, the pension anomaly of Maj Gen and Lt Gen would be removed.

4. The above is just one instance where the bureaucracy/ other Ministry have played with the recommendation of 6th CPC in so far as Defence Forces are concerned. That the Defence Ministry has been a mute spectator to such a blatant manipulation speaks poorly of the Ministry. We implore you to take appropriate action even now to rectify these unjust insertions/ deletions.

5. Yesterday, you had made a statement that we shall not go to war with Pakistan over Mumbai Terrorist Attacks. But I want to ask you a question sir, “Do you have a choice? Have you assessed the morale of the Armed Forces in view of the severe bashing that their reputation and status has received at the hands of your Govt and the bureaucracy in the recent past?”

6. Again, on 16 Dec 2008, a large number of retired Defence Personnel had gathered at India Gate to pay homage to their erstwhile colleagues who had laid down their lives defending the safety and honour of their country. We are doing gross injustice to the memory of these brave-hearts by making their colleagues and their family members to live a life of penury and to force them to beg the Govt to pay heed to their just demands. I wish to highlight that since 16th December 2008, a Relay Fast by Ex-Servicemen has commenced at Jantar Mantar to make the public aware of our grave grievances and the apathy and indifference of the present Govt.

7. Sir, it is a well known fact that God and Soldier are remembered only in times of adversity. The difficult times compounded by frequent terrorist attacks and conflicts afflicting the country are no less than a war like situation. It is beyond comprehension, why in this scenario, a soldier is being ignored, slighted and humiliated. Here, I would like to quote what Kautilya told Chandragupta on the Mauryan Soldier.
“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!”

8. Immediate remedial actions are required lest we as a nation have to pay a heavy price for this attitude of ours.

With Kind Regards,
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman
Indian Ex Servicemen Movement
Dated 18 Dec 2008