IESM: Chairman Report

Date: Saturday, 18 April, 2009, 10:12 PM
Dear Colleagues,
Advisory
One feels edified at the continuing debate on the advisory. I personally find both ayes and the nays informative and interesting. The environment will agree that the weight of an argument lies in its content and not on the shrillness of tone or the harshness of adjectives. While the debate must continue, let us keep its genre at a level that behoves us. I hope to participate in a TV debate next week on the subject; will disseminate details if it materialises.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

12 April 2009- a few days ago
Retired personnel of Indian defence services on Sunday staged a massive protest rally here, to express their anguish over Central Governments delay over their long-pending demand for One Rank-One Pension.

New Delhi, Apr 12 : Retired personnel of Indian defence services on Sunday staged a massive protest rally here, to express their anguish over Central Government's delay over their long-pending demand for 'One Rank-One Pension'.

Ex-servicemen of varying ranks also returned their medals to the government.

Their demand 'One Rank-One Pension' stipulates that irrespective of the date on which the soldier retires, he should get the same pension.

The former defence personnel have cited that in absence of 'One Rank-One Pension', anomalies in the pension of two persons of same rank arise and also there are instances of hundreds of war veterans drawing lower amount of pension as compared to personnel who retired in the recent past.

"Government should have fulfilled our demands by now, but still these are not met. After trying whatever we can, we have been forced to put forth our demand in public. We want to show our unity to the country and secondly at the end of the rally we will give advice, to vote for what particular party," said Lieutenant General Raj Kadyan, Indian Ex- servicemen Movement (IESM) Chairman.

Capitalising on the demands voiced by the former uniformed personnel of defence forces, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come forth to support their demand and in its election manifesto. The party has promised to implement the 'One Rank-One Pension' for ex-servicemen.

"We have promised in our manifesto that this pension will be tax free and the money that will be collected in the bank and the interest will have no income tax on it," said V. K. Malhotra, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

The movement has now intensified since the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission did not address the issue of 'One Rank-One Pension'.
Ex-servicemen stage protest for One Rank-One Pension