IESM: Chairman Report and Readers Responses

April 16, 2009
Dear Colleagues,
Membership
List of new members: click me
Misc
The inflow of complimentary telephone calls from the PBOR continues. The most touching was from veteran Mohammad Toshi from Kashmir expressing gratitude of his colleagues for the noble work undertaken by the IESM. He expressed his somewhat helpless inability to organise an ESM gathering in that area due to the prevailing disturbed conditions.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

IESM Directive for Voting for the Lok Sabha Election- Appeal.
Some of the members have been sending emails saying that IESM should not have issued an advisory for voting in favour of BJP or its allies, but all most all of them have failed to give any constructive advice as to what should have been done by IESM, when ESM from village after village were asking a directive as to what should they do when voting for the forthcoming elections for the Lok Sabha.

It is very easy to criticise what others do- giving a workable suggestion/ alternative is not that easy. Most of the veterans who are sending the emails criticising the IESM Advisory are taking the easy course only. While all most all the PBOR have highly appreciated the advisory issued IESM about Lok Sabha elections, it is some of the veteran officers who continue to harp on 'we should remain apolitical'.

The reason for this point of difference between some officers and all the PBOR is very simple- the officer cadre is least affected by the misdeeds of 6 CPC. It is the PBOR who are the worst affected. The PBOR want a definite advice that can give them some hope of justice.

I often meet officers in Noida who say "Oh Chhado yar- kuch nahin hona. Oh kafi chhangi pension aandi hai. Hor ki chaida he tanoo". (Forget friend. Nothing will happen. We are getting good pension, what else you want). It is such self-centered officers who are the main cause of all our troubles. I get about 15 to 20 telephone calls a day - which are almost 100 percent from officers; the duration of these calls ranges from 5 minutes to 20 minutes each. Most of the calls pertain to Lt Cols being granted PB4 status, some pertain to " I have not received correct arrears amount what should I do?"

Not one of these callers ever asked or knows how badly are the PBOR affected by 6 CPC. What a shame? Those of you who talk of Military ethos- was this the ethos in Services that we only bother about our own self and forget the Jawans? You should either give positive suggestions what IESM should have done when PBOR were asking about voting advisory on Lok Sabha elections or do not repeat those dogmatic views about being apolitical. It is these dogmatic views which have landed the Defence Services, in particular the ESM, in this pathetic condition. Yes, we must maintain the basic ethos of the Defence Services and must remain disciplined but do not remain "Lakir ke Fakir".

We must adapt to the changing times and changing situations. Unless we learn to use the power of politics- we can keep crying for justice- no one will give it to us.
Some of you are wrongly accusing IESM for having invited Shree LK Advani to Jantar Mantar. It is Shree Advani who sent a request to visit Jantar Mantar and meet the ESM present there. What did you expect IESM should have done? Should we have said "No Mr Advani you cannot meet ESM?"

Yes before Mr Advani visited Jantar Mantar, IESM leaders were invited to the BJP office, which was refused by IESM. So please do not pass comments when you do not know facts; and facts you cannot know by sitting at your home- come out and attend IESM rallies, visit the ESM in villages to know what they want. The ESM in villages are not interested in your and my emails; they want justice. Your emails and dogmatic views cannot fetch justice for them.

On 12 Apr 09, Shree VK Malhotra and few other BJP leaders came to Jantar Mantar while the IESM rally was on. They were categorically denied permission to come on to the stage or even in front of the stage. I am a witness to it. Another observation I have about the officers who are not happy about the IESM advisory regarding the voting for Lok Sabha- most of them never attended a single IESM rally (there are few exceptions) and have never interacted with PBOR; a few of them not even bothered to become members of IESM. Then what knowledge or right those ESM have to comment on the advisory issued by IESM?

My humble appeal to all those who are not happy with the IESM advisory on Lok Sabha elections is:
SIRs you have said enough against the advisory issued, but now please support IESM in its efforts. UNLESS WE ALL STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER SUCCESS WILL EVADE US. SO LET US CLOSE THIS DISCUSSION AND VOTE FOR THE PERSON YOU THINK BEST. BUT VOTE YOU MUST.
In Service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj

Readers Mail and Responses
Date: Thursday, 16 April, 2009, 11:18 PM
Dear Raj,
I had written to you (via Indian Veterans) that we should approach other parties, big and small, to put forth our reasonong and get them to endorse our stand. No doubt some may agreed, some would have been ambivalent and some totally non committal. We are putting all our eggs in one shaky basket who have already stated that in the eventuality of a coalition Govt they will try and convince other partners to support their stand.

It is a foregone conclusion that there will be a coalition Govt. It would have been possible to get a few of its partners to support our stand in the parliament, which would have added muscle to our 25 year long standing demand. All these years we really had no one to espouse our cause relentlessly. Even now, notwithstanding the advisory, the IESM should try and approach other parties too and try and convince them to take a positive stand. This would be playing politics apolitically.
Warm regards,
Vivek Bopiah

Dear Brig Kamboj,
I have read the IESM advisory requesting veterans to vote for BJP. I was under the impression that IESM was apolitical in the electoral sense but evidently I was mistaken. My view is that IESM should remain apolitical because political parties will use veterans and IESM for their ends (and why not?!). But since IESM has already "tipped" in favour of BJP, there is little that can be done. However, I am giving (click on link), a short article titled "Thinking Through Support for BJP"- click me that I request you to post on REPORT MY SIGNALS because it gives a word of caution.
With best wishes,
Sudhir Vombatkere

Dear Vombatkere,
I appreciate your views. Do allow me to offer a few clarifications:
1. The IESM has nothing to do with demanding IT exemption, nor is the ESM a beneficiary. As known it applies only to the serving.
2. The IESM did not 'welcome' Advani in the manner your message seems to suggest. He came of his own volition; we merely agreed to meet him.
3. You have raised valid points against our advisory to vote for BJP. However, you have not suggested any alternative course we could have adopted in pursuit of OROP.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM

Dear Brig Kamboj Sir,
I am in full agreement with every word keyed in by Sudhir Vombatkere.
At an election rally in Chandigarh, the president of the Congress, Ms Sonia Gandhi endorsed the ex-servicemens' quest for OROP , before the last election. Amongst the dignitaries present on the dais were Capt Amarinder Singh and a veteran who is now a Governor.
The manifesto was watered down in stages. First, the UPA did not agree with what the Congress had said. So the Common Minimum Programme was diluted. Then when the government was formed, there were other pressures on the polity. By the time it came down to the first parliament session, and the President's address, all we heard was, "The government will address the problems of the ex-servicemen"
To do that a Deptt of ESM Welfare was created with a Bureaucrat at its helm and one more Principle Secretary was appointed to 'assist' him. If there is any improvement in the well being of the veterans, it is not visible... In fact this is the first time in the history of India, that soldiers have been forced to come on the streets.
I suspect there is a need to introspect.
Regards,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

Dear James Kanagaraj,
I am forwarding one sample of many emails being circulated by Raj Kadyan and P Renjen to the readers of the 'REPORT MY SIGNAL' blog. They are actively using the blog to canvass for the BJP and its allies. Its a gross abuse of the blog which is meant to be apolitical. Do you still claim the blog to be apolitical? I think we must stop such abuse of the blog forthwith.
MG Kapoor
Advocate

Dear Kapoor,
You can be rest assured that our stance is apolitcal. We are publishing views of all veteran organisations. The voting advisory is only to project the IESM case for OROP. None of the veteran organisations are Political. It is because of the anti defence attitude of the present set up of bureaucrats and the medly of governance which is belittling the Soldiers at Large that we are publishing different views/ articles. We have also brought out the BJP let down when they were in power (and surely they are not going to keep their promises- NDA too is a Hotch Potch). We are publishing mixed reactions. Certainly "Report My Signal" is not canvassing for BJP. However, voices of various veteran organisations are being projected in the blog which does not mean that the forum has become POLITICAL.
Thanks, we will ensure the blog remains for all Veterans and their Voices- and at times speak of their frustration!
With regards,
Lt Col James Kanagaraj (Retd)