IESM: Returning of Medals- Rajya Sabha debate

RAJYA SABHA: SYNOPSIS OF DEBATE
(Proceedings other than Questions and Answers)
Friday, February 13, 2009/ Magha 24, 1930 (Saka)
IV. Returning of Medals By Ex-Army Officer
SARDAR TARLOCHAN SINGH: Around 300 retired Army
Generals and those Army Personnel who have been awarded several medals and their wives reached Rashtpati Bhawan on 9th February. I am to state with great anguish that these army men returned the medals they had been given for their valour. This happened because the Government did not pay any heed to the demand of one Rank one pay put forth by the Ex-service men.

The member of Ex-service men in our country is around 35 lakh, out of them the number of soldiers is around 19 lakh. Everyone is aware that our army men get retired in their early age. On account of early retirement they get nothing except pension but the Government made provisions with regard to pension in case of all other services but no action was taken with regard to the ex-service men. Due to this, the ex-service men retired at different points of time are getting pension in different modes. Some where the pension of Colonel is more than that of the Major General whereas somewhere else Havaldars get pensions more than their officers. I want to draw the attention of the Government towards this fact that the annoyance of the ex-servicemen affects the morale of the serving army men also. Therefore, the Government should fulfil their demand at earliest.

Their demand is very simple that uniform benefit should be given to one and all as is done in case of the other services. I fail to understand the reason behind silence of the government on this issue whereas the same has drawn the attention of the entire country. The might of army is the strength of the country.
(Shrimati Brinda Karat, Shri Abani Roy and Shri Ram Narayan Sahu, associated)
RAJYA SABHA: SYNOPSIS OF DEBATE- 13 Feb 2009

Comment: The Armed Forces (serving and retired) certainly and surely have lost faith in the present form of dispensation; who all along have remained the most favoured section of the Nation. The ESM feel cheated in the pension pay blunder of SCPC, payment of pension arrears, fixation of pension and the committees compounding the anomalies. Adding insult again, there are no worthwhile welfare measures in ground reality except on paper where multitude of programs are propagated to benefit only the bureaucrats. ESM ramain cheated all the time!