IESM: Letter to Supreme Commander of Armed Forces

IESM: 11 January 2010
To,
Smt Pratibha Devi Singh Patil
President and Supreme Commander of Armed Forces
Rashtrapati Bhawan
New Delhi

Dear Hon’ble Supreme Commander,
I write this to convey the dismay and disappointment of the Ex Servicemen on the subject of ‘one rank one pension’ (OROP). Sadly, the government, in their reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on 09 December 2009 have again rejected OROP. The government rejection is stated to be based on the Cabinet Secretary Committee report that has not found OROP feasible on ‘administrative’ grounds. The Committee have of course made some other ameliorative recommendations with respect to pensions, which have yet to be notified by the government. However, though welcome, these address a very small section of the veterans’ population. An average pre-2006 pensioner, who is part of the vast majority, is again left to live with injustice.

The ‘administrative’ grounds preventing acceptance of the old pending demand of OROP have not been spelt out. If the government could remove the dividing line between the pre and post 10.10 1997 pensions, why the same formula cannot apply to the 1.1.2006 dividing line, defies comprehension. This has only added to the consternation of the veterans and has given rise to apprehension that the constitution of the Committee was only an electoral exercise on the eve of the last Parliamentary polls. The quality of the Committee report – which was a mere summary of a few selectively picked up earlier reports rather than breaking any new ground - further leads to the inference that it was merely to support a pre-determined outcome.

We have been repeatedly requesting the Supreme Commander since July 2009 for an audience. This has not materialized. Similar request has been pending for a meeting with the Hon’ble Defence Minister since October 2009. We are thus unaware of government’s ‘administrative’ compulsions that have come in the way of OROP. Noticeably, ‘financial’ grounds that were cited in December 2008 have not been given this time. We are happy to conclude that the country is no longer economically constrained in this regard. It must, therefore, be only a question of priorities where the veterans apparently do not figure. A veteran having been sent home in the prime of his life with inadequate means of sustenance, can only feel exploited and ‘used’.

India must be unique in the world where the veterans have been forced to take to the streets to seek justice. That too, regrettably in a country where the defence forces have played a unique and stellar role in retaining freedom and in maintaining integrity. The demand for OROP is neither bizarre nor huge. It is more psychological in nature to make old pensioners feel that their contribution and services to the country were not inferior to their younger colleagues. In a country that has been involved in five wars and a counter insurgency campaign almost continuously since Independence, such feeling of discrimination cannot be termed out of place.

Under the circumstances the veterans have no choice but to continue with their struggle. They will again be depositing medals – for the sixth time – on Sunday, 31 January 2010 at 2: pm at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. It is requested that instructions be issued for the reception of the medals.

We assure you of our unflinching loyalty to India and of our endeavour to keep the struggle disciplined and dignified.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Lt Gen Raj Kadyan

Copy to:
Dr Manmohan Singh
Hon’ble Prime Minister
South Block
New Delhi – 110 011

Shri AK Antony
Hon’ble Defence Minister
Ministry of Defence
South Block
New Delhi – 110 011