Do Ex- Servicemen and widows need liquor? Who asked for it?

After Sixth Central Pay Commission Pension Sorrows now widows can boost their spirits with extra doze of booze

I think the issue discussed may kindly taken as my experience with the PBORs veterans for the past 27 years. The issue of liquor had deteriorated their thinking ability and quality of life. They don't join together for a unified struggle like any other civilian employees. I know the subject is very delicate.
C Muthukrishnan, (Ex Sgt)
Active Member IESM

MY DEAR VETERANS (PBORs) PLEASE IT THINK OVER
I am fully aware that the subject is a delicate one. But then, I don’t want my community to get ruined in the ugly designs of a few ill- willed bureaucrats. Yes. Time has come for us to debate. Let us frankly speak. Do we need liquor? Do you wish the widows of our unfortunate brothers drink the liquor issued by the Canteen and become alcoholics? Or do you like them to sell the liquor to someone else at a higher price for their livelihood? Do you encourage and subscribe to such a life for our brothers and sisters? If we all sincerely answer these questions, the answer will be a big ‘NO’. We don’t need the liquor at all. We never asked for it.

Instead, we all need is better re-employment opportunities, better pension, good health care, better education for our children, supply of essential commodities like rice, atta, cooking oil, cooking gas so forth at reasonable prices. Then why at all the Government is selling liquor to the ex-servicemen and their widows?

You all will be surprised to know that while thousands and thousands of ex-servicemen including many retired Generals, never in the history of Indian ex-servicemen movement for the last 60 years, and their families are sitting on a relay hunger strike from 16.12.2008 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi (today being the 110th day) demanding One Rank One Pension, the ex-servicemen canteens suddenly increased the liquor quota uniformly to all the widows from 2 units to 3 units from 1.1.2009. This is confirmed news from one Canteen Manager. Now can you imagine why I took out the issue now? While we all are demanding better pension, they are offering more liquor quota for widows, that too by reducing the quota of serving soldiers. Can you now imagine the intention behind this? This is as good as a master throwing sweetened bread to a barking dog when it tries to protect his own house. There is a deliberate attempt by vested interests to mislead these 2 million ex-servicemen. My dear veterans please think it over. Don’t fall prey to these pirates.

Let us join together under one banner i.e. Indian Ex-servicemen Movement and take a decision either to accept or reject this offer of liquor for our future well being. For the well being of a community, the decision of the majority will rule. Therefore, it is the time for our great organization to take some tough decision in this matter for the achievement of our goals. The views expressed in this mail are mainly applicable to about 20 lakh PBORs and their families who are likely to become victims of alcohol abuse and misuse. "Alcohol dependency" a growing malaise is ruining many Ex Servicemen families and further lowering the honour and status of Soldiers. Jai Hind, Long Live Soldiers Unity in IESM.
After pay sorrow, booze cuts hit armed forces

Military is top liquor guzzler
New Delhi: If an adult Indian, on average, consumes a trickle of alcohol in a year, an Indian soldier guzzles a bucketful. The military has emerged as the single most organised guzzler of liquor in the country, with an annual consumption of nine litres per head, at least a litre more than the Malayalees, India's biggest alcohol-consuming community. Though alcohol consumption is still not well documented in the country, the average per capita consumption (for population aged 15 and above) is a little less than a litre, according to World Health Organisation figures.

Reply to a detailed questionnaire on the sale of liquor in military canteens, filed by DNA under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, shows that our soldiers consumed a staggering 1.1 crore bottles of hard liquor-- rum, vodka, whiskey, and brandy-- in 2007, not to mention 1.2 million bottles of beer and sundry wines. In 2008 a staggering 2.5 million bottles hard and sundry wines.

No wonder, then, the recent cut in liquor quota sold in military canteens dampened the spirits of the men and women in uniform. Rum continues to be the most preferred choice, though it's gradually losing the kick. Vodka sales, on the other hand, have seen a threefold rise in the last four years. "Many army wives drink, and they prefer vodka," said an officer who looks after a few canteens. "It is light compared to whisky and rum." Surprisingly, Old Monk, the old favourite of beginners and veterans alike, is not the most sold rum. That crown goes to the military's own Contessa.

Comment: Alcohol dependency, abuse and misuse for monetary gains are certainly ruining the image of the armed forces of both serving and ESM. The culprits are the CSD Canteens run by Armed Forces and NCC units. The civilian staff in the CSD depots/ Unit Canteens find undetectable and safe ways (in connivance with canteen officials), of disposing of liquor in the civilian markets and bringing a bad name to the image of the Armed Forces in general.