All India Veterans Meet at Noida on 30 Aug 2009

Date: Tuesday, 4 August, 2009, 5:13 AM
ALL INDIA MILITARY VETERANS MEET AT NOIDA AT 10.30 AM ON SUNDAY, 30 AUG 2009
Respected Veterans,
Jai Hind.
The first All India Military Veterans Meet was held at NOIDA on 13 Aug 2008; and, IESM came into being that day. A year has since passed and a lot of water has since flown down the Yamuna. It is an accepted fact that thanks to IESM and its vigorous & resolute action by way of March for Justice, Fast for Justice and Deposit of Medals; that the issue of ONE RANK, ONE PENSION has been brought ‘Centre Stage’; resulting in the announcement by Her Excellency the President of India in her address to the joint session of Parliament, on 04 June 2009, that grant of OROP would be favourably considered. Well, it is another matter that the UPA Govt. on the advise of the Cabinet Secretary has been playing Ducks & Drakes with the Ex-Servicemen fraternity and has not acceded to our demand for grant of OROP. The Finance Minister’s announcement during the Budget session on 04 July, that a sum of Rs. 2100 Crores has been earmarked for OROP and that 12 lakhs ESM would be benefitted is only a small gesture, setting right the anomaly created at the time of the 5th Pay Commission. In so far as grant of OROP is concerned, it must be borne in mind that the struggle is going to be long & hard and ESM must remember the adage, “When the going gets tough, the Tough get going”.
It is with this as the background, IESM requests the presence of at least one retired Service Officer and a retired JCO/NCO/OR of the Army and their equivalents in the Navy or Air Force from each of the 600 Districts of the Country; or at least, one representative from all the major cities & towns of the Country, at the All India Military Veterans Meet at NOIDA, at 10.30 AM on Sunday 30 Aug 2009, to discuss & deliberate on various issues affecting Ex-Servicemen, courses or options open and to decide on the future course of Action(s), to energise the movement further.
One of the options being considered seriously is to organize PADAYATRAS by ESM from various State Capitals to Delhi. One can imagine the impact of such a move, if 50,000 to 100,000 ESM can be galvanized to enter Delhi on a particular day, from eight different directions, to show case our strength.
In the light of above, I on behalf of Veteran Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, Chairman of IESM, fervently pray & appeal to you all to make all out efforts to plan your move & reservation, so as to reach Delhi on the morning of 30 Aug 2009.
Regards,
Col S Rajan (Retd)