IESM: Fast for Justice Rally- more congratulatory messages

12 February, 2009
Dear friends,
I have been comparing our movement with a mighty river called Ganga. We started with humble beginnings, like a mighty river that starts as a tiny spring. Our movement gathered strength as it moved on. This, despite the media gag imposed by the wily babus on our relay hunger strike which was started on 16 Dec 2008.

Then came the return of medals on 08 Feb 2009 and the media covered it very well. The gag lifted off like the safety valve of a pressure cooker. Our Ganga has gone past Haridwar. It has spread out. More and more veterans are becoming aware of our movement and are enrolling as members. Media coverage has made the general public also aware of our struggle.

I think we should now have a biggish get together at Janta Mantar on 16 Feb 2009 and tell everyone thru media that the callous politicos and babus have gagged the media from the day our relay hunger strike started on 16 Dec 2009, the date of our victory in East Pakistan. The gag lifted only on 08 Feb 2009. Even then it was a different story when our senior and patriotic reps went to Rashtrapati Bhavan to deposit the medals. They were treated with utmost suspicion and were not even allowed to take photos when a very junior minion received the medals. All this was done because of 'orders from above'. This kind of sly attitude must be exposed through the media.

I think the time has come to stake our claim as the sole and the biggest body representing ex servicemen. IESL should now become a part of IESM. Of course there will be resistance by the vested interests; we just have to persevere. My heartiest congrats on the effort and the results. All of you have been contributing very well in your own ways -- website, fine articles, ideas and physical effort. Brig Harwant's idea about blacklisting Ind Express merits serious consideration.

Best of luck, warm regards
K K Punchhi
Cdr KK Punchhi, 7 JSW Course Veteran
Naval Aviation, settled in Canada

Dear Chander,
... edited ... I could not revert to you after attending 8th Feb rally at Jantar Mantar which was a grand success by all standards. Though 16NDA/25 IMA Course was in dismal strength, I was able to convince and take along my G-5 (group of five in my vicinity-Ansals Palam Vihar) in my car for the rally.All of them became members of the IESM on the spot and they are: Lt Gen Vijay Jetely, Maj Gen CS Brar,Maj Gen ND Jetli and Maj Gen VK Singh in company of yours truely.

..... edited .... untiring efforts and devotion to this noble cause stood the test of time and what we saw and later read, speaks for itself.
Well done.
Long live the IESM.
Regards,
Kuldip Malik

DEAR CHANDER,
ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF VARIOUS RALLIES IN DIFFERENT PLACES PROMINENTLY INDICATE ONE THING IN COMMON: DETERMINATION !!!. ANOTHER PERCEPTIBLE ASPECT SEEN IS THE RALLYISTS' PEACEFUL ATTITUDE. IN FACT THESE RALLIES ARE A TOTAL ANTITHESIS OF CIVILIAN RALLIES WHERE IT IS WILD SLOGANEERING & 'UNRULY' BEHAVIOR THAT ARE PRE-DOMINANT. MY TOTAL COMPLIMENTS TO YOU AND ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS.

BRIG M K JAIN(RETD)

Date: Thursday, 12 February, 2009, 8:45 PM
Dear Raj,
You and your team are truly performing an unprecedented service to the entire Armed Forces – I do not believe such bold and disciplined action at this level has ever been attempted in the past. Your leadership and eventual success will touch and benefit each and every member of our services community and the credit will go not only to you personally but the IESM, our Government and the entire Nation – it will be a historic success! From various emails that I have received it was so encouraging and heartwarming to note that folks from 1st JSW rendered their support and so did several senior officers including Gen Ved Malik etc. I would like to echo the sentiments expressed by some of my course folks like Surjit Singh, Joseph Thomas, Amar Jit Behl, Inder Kashyap and others.

Raj, with the greatest of humility, I am making a contribution of Rs 15,000.00 towards this noble effort. You will be receiving the check in the next few days.

Regards and the best of luck,
KD Singh
19NDA