IESM: All India Veterans Meet held on 30 Aug 2009

WRAP UP BY LT GEN RAJ KADYAN PVSM, AVSM, VSM- CHAIRMAN IESM
Gentleman I am enthused and happy that a large number of our colleagues have gathered here today. The large presence is an indicator of support to what the IESM has been doing in the last 12 months.

We are one year old today. Anniversaries are an appropriate occasion to introspect and to take stock. Just like a businessman on Diwali calculates his profits and losses, so do we assess our strengths and weaknesses and shape our future actions accordingly.

We had a strange birth a year ago in this very hall. The meeting convened at the behest of our stalwart from the South Col Rajan was to give formal name to our movement that was already in full swing. The Core Gp members got picked up generally at random. Leave aside knowing each other most of us had never even met each other before. We came together more by happenchance than by design. Like every officer ESM each one of us has been a leader of men with our own ideas and distinct style. If we have stuck together to take the movement forward, it is because of two factors; one is the belief in the cause we are fighting for and the second is the burning zeal to reach our goal. In a way it is the force of the movement that has forced us to gravitate towards it.

Have we achieved success?
The answer to this question will depend on how we define success. OROP was an issue that had been pending for over two decades. For the government it was a forbidden word.

Till a year ago no one outside the Services had heard of OROP. Even within the uniform many had not understood it fully. Today, the whole country is aware of OROP. The President of the country has used it during her address to the parliament. The Finance Minister and the Defense Minister have also used it.

Recognition is the first indicator of success. Today, the OROP as an issue has been recognized throughout India . None of us expected this long pending issue to be resolved so soon. But success has been achieved in putting the issue on the national radar screen.

Harnessing political opinion
All possible avenues are being frequently explored for furtherance of our cause. BJP was asked to raise the OROP issue in the Parliament. They did so during the question hour and it was replied by the Defense Minister. May be they could have done more. But they did not go beyond the customary question hour. Efforts are on to gather a group of MsP of different hues and speak to them in detail about the rationale and justification of OROP. This had been done once already some months ago.

Harnessing the Media
Apart from appearing on the TV and writing in the Press, we have addressed at least three largely attended Press conferences at the Press Club of India, one just two days ago. The media is undoubtedly sympathetic. However, they have a commercial orientation and find it difficult to cover an event of repetitive nature. One event that has a big media value and visibility is the depositing of medals.

The value of Vernacular media reaching the masses has been well recognized and the source is being tapped.

Future Course/ Vision
After interaction with various ESM during rallies since Apr 2009, one has no doubt that the struggle must carry on and the pressure on the government must continue.

In whatever we do, we must remember the following parameters:

OROP is a fight for justice. Money of course is there but more than that it is a fight for equality and justice.

It is a long battle.

It must be fought within the law and discipline. The public sympathy must be kept on our side.

The chances of success in getting OROP are directly proportional to the numbers involved in the struggle.

Government has not found an effective counter to the depositing of medals. We should build on this success.

We will follow a multi-pronged approach. While continuing to deposit medals, we are also making efforts to form a conclave of politicians and meeting the Press.

The Court Option
This is certainly one of the options that can be adopted for furtherance of our cause. The recent judgment in the case of Major Generals has given some us a great hope that that it is almost an open and shut case and the court will surely apply the same logic. However, it needs to be remembered that the Major Generals took great care in deliberately avoiding use of the term OROP while arguing their case.

While forming an opinion we need to take note of the following:

The court case is a long battle and might take many years.

Our going to court as an organization will come as a great relief to the government and will totally relieve pressure that has been mounted on them. Their stock response to any query thereafter is going to be that the case is now sub judice.

While the case is being heard in the courts our moral justification in carrying on with the protests or the street struggle will be lost. If we still insist on doing so, we will be looked upon as immature and irresponsible.

Even the courts are not likely to take kindly to it as it would reflect our lack of confidence in the system.

Even if we win the case, and there is a big ‘if’, the government might take the argument that they are not in a position to spare the money needed. We would have won a moral victory, if at all.

In case we lose the case the OROP issue will be buried for ever. The posterity is unlikely to look at us with kindness.

Enlarging the Scope
While OROP has been and continues to be our flagship programme, we need to look at other issues that are connected with ESM welfare. We have therefore decided to form subject-specific cells to deal with these problems in a holistic manner. There are members in each cell who carry great expertise with them. The pension cell, the ECHS cell and the RTI cell have already been formed I request that all queries pertaining to these subjects be directed to these cells. As you know the implementation of the pension disbursement is very tardy and a lot of loose ends are required to be tied up so that all the ESM and those on family pension receive their correct entitlement.

More cells will be formed as and when the requirement is felt.

I will conclude by saying that in history there is time for every development. The time has come for OROP to be granted. The government can only delay it; it cannot be denied for long.
IESM General Body Meeting Minutes- 30 Aug 2009: click me