IESM fires broadside at Congress ESM Welfare Cell on Fake Medals Issue

Ref: Ex-servicemen returned fake medals: Express news service: Posted: Tue Aug 24 2010, 02:51 hrs New Delhi- click here

From: Satish Kumar Bahri, 24 August 2010 08:25
To: Indian Express.
Subject: Ex servicemen Returning Fake Medals

Dear Sir,
I was shocked to read the unfounded allegations by Mr Praveen Davar of the AICC ( IE, 24 Aug 2010) that members of Indian Ex Servicemen Movement (IESM) were returning fake medals and signing the memorandum with some red coloured chemical and not blood. I think Mr Davar is an ex- Captain of the Army himself. By making such allegations he has proven that he was not fit to remain in the Army.

I have myself returned my genuine Param Vashist Seva Medal (PVSM), unless I was given a fake one at the Investiture Ceremony by the Supreme Commander. He is forgetting that a father not only returned his own Sena Medal but also returned his son's Shaurya Chakra, awarded posthumously. Many others have returned their Vir Chakras, Sena Medals,PVSM, AVSM and VSM along with their service medals. As regards the fake blood allegation he forgets that the blood was drawn by the para medics of Delhi's well known, Dr Lal's Path Lab. I assume that he has got the backing of the in house detective agency of the AICC ie, CBI, to make such wild allegations. AICC may be inviting legal action from ESM who have been hurt by Mr Davar's sycophantic statements.

I doubt Mr Davar has a medal he can claim as his own, otherwise he would not dare make such preposterous statements and hurt the feelings of the ESM community. They have already been hurt enough by the President and so called Supreme Commander, who has no time or feelings for her ESM.
Regards,
Veteran Lt Gen SK Bahri PVSM (1st JSW Course, Former MGO)

Dear All,
After reading the news item on line about an hour back, I was very upset. I went to AICC website and looked for contact details of Capt Praveen Davar. The same is given below:
EX-SERVICEMEN DEPARTMENT
CAPT PRAVEEN DAVAR
32, B BLOCK, CONNAUGHT PLACE, NEW DELHI

I called his residence number and ascertained that he was on line. I gave my identity (Capt Davar also wanted to know which course I belong to seniority, Regular commission IMA etc) and asked him whether the news item and the statement ascribed to him by ENS are correct or they have misquoted him. He confirmed that the statement is correct and he has made the same.

Then I asked him whether he has first hand knowledge of the matter. He said that he has got information from reliable sources. I asked him when he recived the info did he check up the same with any IESM Office bearer. He said that there was no need since the information is from reliable source. Then he blurted out that the info was given by some people who left IESM.

I told him that I am one of the veterans who deposited the medals way back in Feb 2009 and my medals are not fake. I also told him that I have attended most of the rallies and seen the collection of medals, signed the memorandum with blood (Real) and have also given blood which was collected by the phlebotomist from renowned Dr Lal's Pathological Lab. I told him that it is unfortunate that he in his important position made a statement based on information fed to him by some disgruntled elements, without verifying the truth.

Then he wanted to know whether I am member of IESM and I replied that I am member of both IESM and IESL in addition to another organisation. He sounded surprised with a"Han". I asked him is it illegal to be member of more than one organisation. He mumbled No,No.

Sensing his discomfort in his voice and also I am speaking to him at his home, I told him that I would like to meet him in his office and discuss this further. I thought I must apprise all of you of what transpired.
Best Regards,
Baba
(Col TN Baba, Gurgaon)

Dirty tricks dept at it again!
This refers to the report ‘Ex-servicemen returned fake medals’
Thank God, Davar has exposed how the Congress party functions! Unfortunately for the congress party and fortunately for the nation, the soldiers, past and present, are too honourable and upright to think in terms of collecting fake medals and signing petitions in fake blood. Well, one doesn't know whether the Govt at the Centre, headed by the Congress for most years after 15 Aug 1947, has been/ is presenting fake medals to the soldiers.

Coming to the question of availabiltiy of fake medals in the market, doesn't the ruling party's spokesperson find anything illegal in it that needs investigation? If such medals were available in the open market then why should young soldiers sacrifice their lives for the non- existant glory attached to such medals? Those aspiring to joining the armed forces may also give this a thought!

Better still, in an attempt to discredit the leadership of IESM, by mentioning that Gen Kadyan is a senior member of the CommonWealth Games Organising Committee (CWG OC- a name that is uttered with utmost repulsion by every knowledgeable Indian!) , Davar has unwittingly added fuel to the scandal that the Govt, headed by his party, has been trying to cover up!

It is also regrettable that a media of IE's standing has published this baseless allegation without verifying the facts which it could have done easily. After all Jantar Mantar- the scene of all rights related activities- where the returning of medals and signing of the petition took place was never inaccessible to the journos who should be following the foot steps of the great Goenka, the one and only media person who had stood up to the Emergency!
Yours truly
Maj PM Ravindran (Retd)

IESM FIRES BROADSIDE AT CONG ON FAKE MEDALS ISSUE
Respected Sir,
The following report – released by the United News of India news agency on August 24, 2010 – is for your kind perusal.
With regards,
Abhi IESM FIRES BROADSIDE AT CONG ON FAKE MEDALS ISSUE
By Abhijit C Chandra

Bhopal, Aug 24 (UNI)
The Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement has taken exception to the Congress ESM Welfare Cell alleging that veterans carried fake medals for depositing to President Pratibha Devisingh Patil in protest against the Centre not looking after its defence forces that have been ''pillars of strength'' for Indian democracy.

The President did not receive the delegation, which returned with the medals. "The statement is dangerous and is sending a wrong signal to the nation. Just imagine how it would have hurt a Shaurya Chakra recipient martyr's mother who was part of the delegation. We were carrying 6,000 medals including those with which war heroes were decorated," IESM Vice-Chairman Major-General (Retd) Satbir Singh, Sena Medal, told UNI over telephone.

IESM Chairman Lieutenant-General (Retd) Raj Kadyan, Param Vishisht Seva Medal, led a delegation to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday to deposit the medals and submit a memorandum signed in blood.

In a letter to the President, the veteran said, "it is earnestly hoped that the Supreme Commander would relent and receive the delegation in person. However, should that unfortunately not happen... the delegation would return without depositing the medals and the memorandum."

"The Cell also alleged that fake blood was utilised to ink the memorandum while the truth is I was among the first to donate and a prestigious laboratory's employees were also present on the scene to supervise the blood donation. I beseech the collective conscience of the nation not to berate the services," Maj-Gen Singh appealed.

The recent judgements of the Supreme Court, high courts and Armed Forces tribunals clearly reveal the "grave injustice, apathetic attitude and arrogance of the Government and the bureaucracy," Maj-Gen Singh said.

The fact that the all-party Standing Committee on Defence-- after taking into consideration the reasons given by the Centre for not accepting veterans' main demand of One Rank One Pension -- has strongly recommended grant of OROP to defence personnel holistically in its report tabled in Parliament on May 7, proves the genuineness of their demand, he added.

The collection of medals and signing of the memorandum took place at Jantar Mantar from 1100 to 1400 hrs.