Apathy towards the war-disabled must end

Disabled soldiers at the Paraplegic Rehabilitaion Centre in Mohali. Several issues need to be redressed to ensure that disabled soldiers get due benefits that compensate them for the substantially reduced capacity for employment.

The number of war-disabled soldiers is increasing on account of casualties being incurred in prolonged counter-insurgency operations. But they are gradually fading away from the radar screen of the government and the Service headquarters. The plight of disabled soldiers needs to be appreciated and action should be taken to ameliorate their multifarious problems

There is certainly a need for regular dialogue between the ESW department, army headquarters and the NGO's. Getting them on board will result in a two-way passage of information between the authorities and the war-disabled. Both NGO's exist on donations that are meagre, but their request for funds has been summarily dismissed by the ESW department!

Over the last few decades, the war-disabled as a group have been gradually fading away from the radar screens of service headquarters as well as the government, despite the fact that their number is increasing practically on a daily basis on account of casualties incurred in counter-insurgency operations. The plight of war-disabled soldiers, especially in rural areas needs to be appreciated and actions need to be taken to ameliorate their multifarious problems. This situation of apathy to the war-disabled must be corrected lest it leads to grave adverse repercussions in the long term.
The writer is a former Vice Chief of Army and President of the War Wounded Foundation.
Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi (Retd)
Apathy towards the war-disabled must end

War-disabled
The above article “Apathy towards the war-disabled must end” (Feb 18) by Lt-Gen Vijay Oberoi (retd) was a touching description of the plight of the war-disabled. The writer has rightly pleaded for the benefits/maintaining records of the disabled and need for a positive attitude towards them. Even the NGO’s can play a better role with the help of the media. India must treat the war-disabled with respect.
A.S. ANAND, Ludhiana

ESW is a Cosmetic Bureaucratic Appendage
Over six years ago, a Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (ESW) was created to give focused attention to welfare programmes for ex-servicemen and their dependants. In reality it was a cosmetic exercise as three existing entities of the Ministry of Defence merely started reporting to another set of bureaucrats. Even after six years, except for garnering additional vacancies for their cadre, the department is yet to come out with a single programme for the welfare of veterans. They also commenced looking after the pensions of veterans and the mess they have made post--Sixth Pay Commission is too well known.

Here is a department tailor-made to make much of the soldiers' sacrifices by conceiving a comprehensive and long-term plan to commemorate their valiant deeds, not only on Vijay Diwas, but also on other such occasions. The need is for vision, empathy and dedication, which requires staffing this department by military personnel. They know what soldiers want and how best to meet their needs. The incongruity of welfare of soldiers by the bureaucracy needs immediate burial. Let us do so without delay and start honouring our soldiers.
Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi (Retd)
The writer is a former Vice Chief of the Indian Army
When will we honour our soldiers?

Corruption Malaise- Reform and Improve Governance?

Who is to Reform and Improve Governance?
Extracts from PM's Keynote address at India Today Conclave
The shifts in the balance of power and its implications suggest that we need to adapt ourselves. In many ways, India is well placed to take advantage of the changes in the balance of international forces. We can contribute to the world’s recovery from the recent financial and economic crisis. We can become a pole of political stability in an uncertain world. But for all this we will need to show innovation and flexibility in our approaches. Some inadequacies have become apparent in our systems of functioning. We have to deal squarely with the malaise of corruption. We need to reform and improve governance at all levels.
I am sure that your deliberations in this conclave will contribute to a more informed debate on all the issues that this important topic raises.
Read full address: PM's key-note address at the India-Today Conclave

Pensioners Problems addressed with Promptitude

Dear Colleagues,
It is always exhilarating to see a full inbox on opening the email. A large content comprises mails from the ESM environment advising us on what is wrong (several) and on what should be done (few). However, invariably the mails invite counters from others ending in a long trail of acrimonious, even venomous, exchanges. The drift is quite often indicative of criticism of IESMs inability to get OROP so far. All these are important for us to remain on our proverbial toes. Let me however, venture some suggestions:

Colleagues may do well to spend more effort and energy in weaving arguments in support of their own contention rather than on trying to condemn others’ point of view.

Do avoid getting personal. Everyone has a right to his/her view. Disagreements should be worded in a healthy language.

Some mails are unduly censorious of our Service Chiefs for their perceived inaction in pushing veterans’ cases. Unfortunately, most of such emails are a result of ignorance about what the Chiefs are doing. The environment may feel assured that the Service Heads are doing all that is feasible within the constraints of their being in uniform. There is general synergy in the efforts of veterans and Service Headquarters.
There have been many complaints from the ESM against the PCDA (P) Allahabad for their casualness in attending to pensioners’ problems. On 24 Feb 2011, I had written to CGDA against this. As a sample I had quoted the example of an unmarried dependent daughter of a deceased Brigadier whose pension case had been pending for a long time. (This has since been settled). Reply received from the CGDA is attached. It is hoped there is general improvement in service and the PCDA (P) acts with greater promptitude.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

Movement for undiluted Lok Pal Bill

Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
We all are most loyal citizens of India first and Military Veterans later. We spent best time of our life protecting the territory and prestige of our motherland, for which the successive Governments have not given us our dues. However, as always - our own welfare and comfort comes last – and safety of the motherland first of all.
The corruption level in the country has reached a level where the very survival of our motherland is in danger.
Top intellectuals of India, sincere social activists, with massive support in manpower and funds of two top honest organisations in the country “Art of Living” headed by Shree Shree Ravi Shanker and the organisation headed by Swami Ram Dev have started the All India movement against corruption.
To top it up all – countries beloved Anna Hazare has decided to go on fast unto death – to ensure that Lok Pal Bill is correctly worded and implemented by the Government.
It is time for all Indian Military Veterans, that we provide whole hearted support to Anna Hazare and the All India movement against corruption.
Please appreciate that major cause of all problems of the Military Veterans is also corrupt and incompetent political leaders and Babus.
Every day I am receiving large number of emails from Indian Military Veterans suggesting that "Report My Signal" should motivate all ESM organisations to participate in supporting Anna Hazare and the All India Movement against corruption.
Please read the emails appended below and help the motherland in passing correct Lok Pal Bill and removing corruption.
KINDLY DO HELP AND MOTIVATE ALL YOUR NEIGHBOURS AND FRIENDS AND SUPPORT ANNA HAZARE AT JANTAR MANTAR STARTING ON 4TH APRIL 11.
Vande Matram
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.

Dear Friends,
Please watch the video on Anna Hazare, his life and decision to announcement to start Fast unto death from 5th April... also what he expects from us... the citizen of this country... Please forward this to all your contacts... please... AND please JOIN his noble movement.
With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi

Dear Brig,
L K Anand has spoken of the Anna Hazare Fast, being undertaken as a part of the India Against Corruption Movement. I fully endorse his views that we in IESM support this movement. Since IESM supports India Against Corruption movement; it would be only right that we show our presence in large numbers at Jantar Mantar to express our solidarity for the cause. It will help forge an understanding with the office bearers.
Regards,
Vijay Raheja

We must join in the movement
Dear Brig Kamboj Sir,
Jai Bharat,
The proposal made by Brig Kuthiala should be given full considerations and approval by the IESM management committee. We should join with our shining placards to Anna Hazare’s fast w.e.f. 4th April 2011. This event is going to get a national attention in spite of the facts, that, some dark political forces and morally sold out Medias not unknown to us are trying to destroy this honourable efforts by Mr. Hazare & Co. We must seize the opportunities.
Though going on fast as military personnel is no way of protest, however, we must understand this movement of Mr. Hazare is in the best interests to save the nation from the total prospective chaos and disintegration, therefore, the role of the Ex and Serving Armed forces come first and foremost.
Please give some serious thought to it.
With best wishes and warm regards,
Vande Mataram,
Sincerely yours,
Amit
Amit Bhadhuri
Former CISF Officer and IESM Support Member (Settled in UK)

Territorial Army Day Parade

The Defence Minister, Shri A. K. Antony reviews the parade, during the Prime Minister's Territorial Army Day Parade, in New Delhi on March 18, 2011.CNR :37160 Photo ID :34169- PIB

The Defence Minister, Shri A. K. Antony, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma, the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. V.K. Singh, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik and other officers and personnel, during the Prime Minister's Territorial Army Day Parade, in New Delhi on March 18, 2011.CNR :37159 Photo ID :34168- PIB
Defence Minister Reviews Territorial Army Day Parade

Modi magic that makes Gujarat tick

The recently concluded fifth Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit, the man, described as a "visionary" has roped in investments worth Rs 21 lakh crore, from 7,936 MoUs inked across diverse sectors in the two days. Dedicating the summit to the youth and women, he promised to create over 52 lakh livelihoods and job opportunities with the money. Behind his hardcore Hindutva image is a businessman with hardselling abilities.
India Inc leaders can't stop praising the man for his efforts to make Gujarat a civic and industrial example to follow.
"Gujarat is shining like a lamp of gold and the credit goes to the visionary, effective and passionate leadership provided by Narendra Modi. We have a leader here with vision and determination to translate this vision into reality," Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said.
Tata Group chief Ratan Tata said: "The leadership of Narendra Modi has proved that Gujarat is not only seeing industrial growth but is also witnessing rural development."
Anil Ambani exhorted other states to take a cue from Modi for development. "Gujarat is a role model for other states to learn from ... Narendra bhai has single handedly transformed the state into a power state," he said. Gujarat today is the power capital and power hub of the country and stands out in a sharp contrast to other states in the country, Ambani added.
Several others who have set up shop in recent times in the state vouch for the "corruption-free" and speedy processes. Little wonder, since Mr Modi believes in "minimum government and maximum governance."
Modi’s Gujarat – The dream destination
Comment: Gujarat is a Citizen Safe destination- free of corruption the state is taking gaint strides in all round progress- piped cooking gas to all rural homes and 24 hour electricity to all homes- extraordinary statistics.

Disability Pension: Litigation Policy Flouted- Rs 50,000 slapped as costs

Disability Pension Case
Defence Ministry ordered to pay Rs 50,000 as costs by Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17, 2011
Taking the Union of India to task for filing a “frivolous appeal” and “misusing the process of the court” by presenting incorrect facts in a case relating a soldier’s disability pension, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed costs of Rs 50,000.

The Bench also ordered that the said amount, to be paid to the soldier, is to be recovered from the officers who had pleaded a false ground in the affidavit, after holding an inquiry and fixing responsibility thereof.

Earlier, a single Bench of the high court had allowed the grant of disability pension to ex-recruit Sukhjinder Singh on grounds that his disability was attributable to military service. The government had thereafter filed an appeal against this order. The single Bench order was based on an earlier order by a Division Bench on a similar issue of law.

Disposing of the appeal, the Bench expressed “amazement” at the conduct of the appellant and its officers and observed that the perusal of the appeal showed that a false plea had been set out which was simply against the records. In the original proceedings of the medical board, it was categorically found that the disease was aggravated by military service, whereas the proceedings of the board were misquoted in the appeal to show that the disease was not aggravated by military service.

The Division Bench also observed that the National Litigation Policy framed by the Central Government had been completely overlooked by appellants. The policy states that in service matters, no appeal would be filed in cases where the matter pertained to individual grievance without any major repercussion, or the matter pertained to a case of pension or retirement benefits without involving any principle and without setting any precedent or financial implication.

Holding that filing an appeal by the appellants in this case was wholly unwarranted as the matter was already decided in respect of the issues concerned, the Bench ruled that the appeal was an illustration of frivolous litigation initiated at the instance of the Union of India and its officers.
Defence Ministry ordered to pay Rs 50,000 as costs

Indian general, USAWC Class of 2001 grad, inducted into IF Hall of Fame

Suzanne Reynolds, USAWC Public Affairs Office

General Vijay Kumar Singh, the Chief of Staff of the Indian Army, the highest position in the Indian Army, became the 33rd International Fellow to receive the honor.

Singh was voted for induction by the fellow members of his USAWC class and the ceremony took place in front of the current USAWC class.

“General Singh had demonstrated professional competence and courage in leading his nation’s armed forces and, in doing so, honors his alma mater, the U.S Army War College,” said Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin, the Commandant of the Army War College. “His connection to this institution and to you, has never been more important, as our nations and partners face the dangers and new threats of the 21st Century.”

"It is an honor for an IF to be inducted into IHOF at US Army War College, Gen. V.K. Singh is a visionary and inspirational leader," said Brigadier Balbir Singh, current Indian International Fellow, Class of 2011. "I had the unique honor to work with him closely. His clarity of thought, professional acumen and humane approach always inspired me to perform better. The Indian Army will grow from strength to strength under his dynamic leadership," said Brigadier Singh.

After being honored Singh discussed strategic leadership and management with the students. He told them to always lead by example, and to avoid the status quo. “As a strategic leader you should not lead without a strong conviction and do not be indecisive,” said Singh.

Singh also discussed the difference between management and leadership. “Management is about coping with complexity, while leadership is about coping with change including that brought about due to complexities.”

He also told students the importance as strategic leaders to understand how to effectively use the media and how it will assist you.

In shaping and managing future leaders, Gen. Singh told students to, "lead by example, what you do is what others will do and emulate."

“Throughout his career, Singh has been at the forefront of change and transformation. In addition to his experience as a commander, staff officer and instructor, Singh has been deployed many times beginning with the 1971 Bangladesh War, and most recently during Operation Parakram in 2001.

He has also commanded the prestigious Strike Corps in Western Sector, before taking over the command of the Eastern Army in March 2008.

Singh became the 26th Chief of the Army Staff on March 31, 2010. He was the first commando to be appointed to that post and as a veteran of many battles, brought vast experience of counter-insurgency operations to the position.

Singh is a graduate of the Indian Defense Services Staff College, an honors graduate of the United States Army Infantry School, as well as, the U.S. Army Rangers Course.

Singh was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India in recognition of his exceptional and distinguished services on the eve of Republic Day 2009.

As the first Indian officer to be inducted into the U.S. Army War College International Fellows Hall of Fame, Singh joins a uniquely prestigious alumni group.
Indian general, USAWC Class of 2001 grad, inducted into IF Hall of Fame

IESM: Letter to Supreme Commander

IESM/Medals/2011
Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman
17 March 2011

Excellency,
You would be aware that we have made five trips to Rashtrapati Bhavan with a view to depositing medals directly with the Supreme Commander. Each time we have had to bring these back as Her Excellency was pre-occupied on other engagements and was not able to receive these personally. Consequently, vide our letter of even number dated 2 February 2011 (copy attached), we requested that a date and time convenient and suitable to the Supreme Commander may kindly be intimated so that we can recast our programme accordingly. Reply from Rashtrapati Bhavan to this request is still awaited. May I request that your availability/convenience be conveyed to us at an early date?
In the mean time do allow me to apprise you that the disenchantment of veterans with the government for not acceding to their basic demand of ‘one rank one pension’ as well as for not implementing several judgments taken by the Supreme Court, is further growing and spreading. Admittedly, this kind of negative sentiment taking root among the most loyal and dedicated section of the society cannot be said to be a healthy development.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman. IESM

Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Hon’ble President of India & Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 004
Copy to:
Dr Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister
Shri AK Antony, Hon’ble Defence Minister

सुप्रीम कमांडर को पत्र
IESM/Medals/2011
लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल राज कादयान, पीवीएसएम, एवीएसएम, वीएसएम
अध्यक्ष
17 मार्च 2011

महामहिम,
तुम्हें पता होना चाहिए कि हम पदक सुप्रीम कमांडर के साथ सीधे जमा करने के उद्देश्य से राष्ट्रपति भवन से पांच यात्राएं बना दिया जाएगा. हर बार हम पड़ा है इन वापस लाने के लिए के रूप में उनकी महामहिम पूर्व अन्य कार्यों पर कब्जा कर लिया था और इन व्यक्तिगत रूप से प्राप्त करने में सक्षम नहीं था. नतीजतन, भी 2 फ़रवरी 2011 (संलग्न प्रतिलिपि) दिनांक संख्या के बारे में हमारी पत्र देखिये, हम अनुरोध किया है कि एक तारीख और सुविधाजनक और सुप्रीम कमांडर के लिए उपयुक्त समय कृपया सूचित इतना है कि हम अपने कार्यक्रम के अनुसार मरम्मत कर सकते हैं हो सकता है. राष्ट्रपति भवन से इस अनुरोध के जवाब अभी भी इंतजार है. क्या मैं आपसे अनुरोध है कि अपनी उपलब्धता / सुविधा एक प्रारंभिक तिथि पर हमें अवगत करा दिया हो?
मतलब समय में मैं आपको बतलाना करने की अनुमति है कि सरकार के साथ दिग्गजों के साथ ही कई को लागू करने के सुप्रीम कोर्ट द्वारा लिया गया निर्णय नहीं करने के लिए के रूप में उनकी 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' की मांग के बुनियादी acceding नहीं करने के लिए, मोहभंग आगे बढ़ रहा है और करना फैल गया. बेशक, नकारात्मक भावना के इस तरह के समाज के सबसे वफादार और समर्पित अनुभाग में रूट लेने के लिए एक स्वस्थ विकास नहीं कहा जा सकता है.
के साथ सबसे अच्छा संबंध है,
सादर
लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल राज कादयान, पीवीएसएम, एवीएसएम, वीएसएम
अध्यक्ष. IESM

श्रीमती. राष्ट्रपति श्रीमती प्रतिभा देवीसिंह पाटिल, भारत और सशस्त्र बलों, राष्ट्रपति भवन, के सुप्रीम कमांडर के माननीय राष्ट्रपति नई दिल्ली - 110 004
पर प्रतिलिपि बनाएँ:
डा. मनमोहन सिंह, माननीय प्रधानमंत्री
श्री ए के एंटनी, माननीय रक्षा मंत्री

युवक के लिए सेना प्रहरी है?

न्याय और सशस्त्र बल: एक मृगतृष्णा
सामान्य प्रिय,
आपकी श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी को पत्र बिंदु और साहस के लिए दोनों है. लेकिन क्या फायदा है? इस पत्र को भी पढ़ा नहीं जाएगा और एक से जोकर सचिव (जे एस) के रूप में इन सभी राजनीतिक नेताओं को आग ऐसे जोकर द्वारा घिरी हैं द्वारा जवाब दे दिया. श्रीमती गांधी ने इस तरह के पत्र के हजारों हर दिन हो रही होगी और वह (सभी अन्य राजनीतिक नेताओं की तरह) नहीं इस तरह के पत्र पढ़ने के लिए समय है. नेताओं उन्हें डाल संचार के सार पर निर्भर है, और इस सार फिर से एक तरीके से उन्हें सूट है कि इन जोकर द्वारा तैयार की. संक्षेप में, कुछ भी नहीं पढ़ा है या क्या उन्हें डाल दिया है बाबुओं द्वारा या वहाँ एक आपातकालीन स्थिति है जहाँ अपने अस्तित्व दांव पर लगा है, जब सिवाय नेताओं द्वारा समझा.

क्या इस अभिशाप से बाहर तोड़ने के लिए तरीका है? एक ही रास्ता 'जागो' जनरल की सेवा के लिए है. यदि वे अपने साहस का एक छोटा सा प्राप्त कर सकते हैं, चीजों को बदलने के लिए शुरू हो जाएगा. प्रमुखों को जोकर, सचिवों, मध्यस्थों, छद्म नेताओं और कनिष्ठ नेताओं के माध्यम से जा रहा बिना शीर्ष नेतृत्व से मिलने की जरूरत है. पहली और महत्वपूर्ण बात प्रमुखों रणनीति, प्रशासन और राजनीति के मामले में देश के शीर्ष नेतृत्व के साथ ब्रैकेट खुद को सीखना चाहिए. एफएम सैम मानेकशॉ को ही आया था राष्ट्रीय रणनीति के स्तर पर जब वह बताने के लिए श्रीमती इंदिरा गांधी ने अपने विचारों के साथ लाइन में गिर करने की हिम्मत की. अब हम एक कदम और आगे जाना है और शासन और राजनीतिक अराजकता पर अपने विचार देने के लिए किसी की जरूरत है. अगर किसी को यह कर सकते हैं, हम सभी विभागों में एक बेहतर भारत होगा. समय आ गया है जब रक्षा बल बाहरी खतरे और आंतरिक सुरक्षा मामलों के खिलाफ घड़ी कुत्तों की आवश्यकता नहीं है. समय आ गया है जब रक्षा बल चौकीदार के रूप में और बाबुओं नेताओं द्वारा प्रयोग नहीं किया जा आवश्यकता के लिए उन्हें देश लूट लिए. समय के लिए कदम में भटका जा शक्तियों को फर्म आशावादी और सलाह देने के लिए आ गया है. समय दिखाने के लिए कि रक्षा बलों भेड़ के आसपास बाबुओं से प्रेरित नहीं कर रहे हैं आ गया है. बाबुओं हमें भेड़ के कपड़ों में शामिल है और खुद को शेर की पोशाक में है और दोनों के रूप में अभिनय शुरू कर दिया है. इस अहसास आते हैं और तेजी से आना चाहिए इससे पहले कि जोकर हमें ड्राइविंग शुरू करने के लिए और भी कयामत.
मैं देश में प्रचलित सैनिकों और पूर्व सैनिकों की जरूरतों के अनुरूप होगा हर मामलों के राज्य पर यकीन है कि एक प्रमुखों से व्यापक स्वतंत्र बयान कर रहा हूँ. यह एक गर्जन की तरह एक शेर बना कवर के लिए चला भेड़ों से किया जाएगा.
यह एक और कहानी है कि एक शेर एक उसके गले में अटक गई गाजर है!
अनुभवी राम Gulrajani
चेन्नई.

अनुभवी आवाज़
तीन सेवाओं और अन्य वरिष्ठ सैन्य दिग्गजों की प्रिय पूर्व प्रमुखों - यह हमारी निष्ठा और हमारे बलिदान है कि आप उन उच्च पदों हासिल की है. अब - यह आप सब अपने मातहत के लिए अपनी वफादारी दिखाने के लिए और काम के सैन्य बुनियादी नैतिकता के हिसाब से और अपने सभी सेवानिवृत्त brethern जो पोस्ट करने के लिए स्तंभ से चल रहे हैं के लिए न्याय सुनिश्चित करने के लिए समय है.

भारत में राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार

भारत में राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार क्या है?
राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार मुख्य शामिल अभिनेताओं, अर्थात् राजनीतिक व्यवस्था के उच्चतम स्तर पर व्यक्तियों, और भ्रष्ट व्यवहार के उद्देश्य के संदर्भ में दोनों परिभाषित किया जा सकता है, अर्थात सत्ता पर पकड़ बनाए रखने के लिए. इसलिए, राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार और निजी समूह संवर्धन के लिए हो सकता है और शक्ति संरक्षण के प्रयोजनों के लिए. अक्सर राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार के इन दो रूपों जुड़े हुए हैं. बड़ा और अधिक गंभीर राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार घोटालों से कुछ दोनों प्रक्रियाओं में शामिल हैं - दूसरे पर राजनीतिक उद्देश्यों के लिए एक ओर संचय और निकाले का दुरुपयोग या जनता के पैसे. बाद प्रक्रिया कुछ है के तहत शोध किया है और कम करके आंका, साहित्य में ध्यान देने का ज्यादा से संचय पर दिया गया है. 2 जी स्पेक्ट्रम, राष्ट्रमंडल खेलों (सीडब्ल्यूजी), आदर्श, हसन अली, गुप्त स्विस बैंक खातों की तरह वर्तमान घोटाले मामूली नमूने हैं.

संचय या निकासी के रूप में राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार तब होता है जब सरकार के अधिकारियों का उपयोग करें और सत्ता पर उनकी पकड़ दुरुपयोग निजी क्षेत्र से निकालने के लिए, सरकारी राजस्व से, और बड़े पैमाने पर अर्थव्यवस्था से. संचय की इन प्रक्रियाओं को बुलाया गया है निष्कर्षण, गबन, किराए की मांग, विस्तार और संदर्भ के आधार पर लूट और भी kleptocracy ("चोरों द्वारा नियम"),. निष्कर्षण खरीद और सरकारी परियोजनाओं में रिश्वत निजीकरण की प्रक्रिया में और कराधान में, याचना के रूप में मुख्य रूप से जगह लेता है. सैन्य खरीद के लिए विशेष रूप extractive राजनीतिक दुनिया भर में भ्रष्टाचार से प्रभावित शीर्ष स्तर के नेताओं, राष्ट्रीय हितों एवं गोपनीयता की भागीदारी की वजह से हो जाता है.

अन्य प्रक्रिया है, जब संसाधनों निकाले (और जनता के पैसे) कर रहे हैं बिजली संरक्षण और शक्ति विस्तार प्रयोजनों के लिए उपयोग किया है, आमतौर पर पक्षपात और संरक्षण की राजनीति के रूप लेती है. यह एक favouritist और वित्तीय और भौतिक प्रलोभन, लाभ, लाभ, और लूट की राजनीति से प्रेरित वितरण शामिल है. तकनीक धन और सामग्री के लिए राजनीतिक निष्ठा और राजनीतिक समर्थन के निर्माण के पक्ष में शामिल हैं. सत्ता धारकों से प्रतिद्वंद्वियों और विपक्षी भुगतान कर सकते हैं और एक संसदीय बहुमत सुरक्षित. निजी कंपनियों वे पार्टी और अभियान धन प्राप्त कर सकते हैं वरीयता देकर, और दूर की जांच और नियंत्रण वे जांच और ऑडिट बंद करो और न्यायिक दण्ड से मुक्ति प्राप्त कर सकते हैं की सरकारी संस्थाओं द्वारा भुगतान. इसके अलावा, चुनाव आयोग से वफादार निर्णय खरीदने से वोट खरीदने और वे उनके फिर से चुनाव से सुरक्षित कर सकते हैं.

राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार राजनीतिक व्यवस्था के उच्चतम स्तर पर जगह लेता है, और इस तरह प्रशासनिक या नौकरशाही भ्रष्टाचार से प्रतिष्ठित किया जा सकता है. नौकरशाही भ्रष्टाचार शिक्षा और स्वास्थ्य जैसी सरकारी सेवाओं में उदाहरण के लिए राजनीति का कार्यान्वयन अंत में जगह लेता है. राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार राजनीति, जहां देश के धन के वितरण और खेल के नियमों पर निर्णय किया जाता है के निर्माण के अंत में जगह लेता है.

राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार आमतौर पर भी व्यवसाय और निजी क्षेत्र की भ्रष्टाचार से प्रतिष्ठित है. यह केवल शैक्षिक वर्गीकरण की बात है, तथापि, के बाद से निजी कंपनियों, घरेलू और अंतरराष्ट्रीय, द्वारा की पेशकश की रिश्वत लगातार और महत्वपूर्ण भ्रष्टाचार ड्राइवर हैं. ध्यान अब, तथापि, भ्रष्ट लेनदेन की आपूर्ति पक्ष पर नहीं है, लेकिन मांग पक्ष पर. भ्रष्टाचार के अधिकांश परिभाषा भी मांग पक्ष (राज्य) पर जोर देना, जो भ्रष्टाचार में बताते हुए उदाहरण के लिए "सार्वजनिक और निजी फायदे के लिए सत्ता की शक्ति का दुरुपयोग है."

चुनौतियों का सामना कर रहे नागरिक
कोई क्या करते हैं जब सरकारों और / या वरिष्ठ सरकारी अधिकारियों और राजनेताओं के भ्रष्ट हो सकता है? राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार के इन रूपों चुनौतियों में से कम से कम तीन प्रकार मुद्रा.

सबसे पहले, राजनीतिक इच्छाशक्ति की कमी करने के लिए समस्या का समाधान कैसे सामना किया जा सकता है? जब राजनैतिक शक्ति के साथ महत्वपूर्ण व्यक्तियों भ्रष्ट कर रहे हैं, वहाँ कई बार सरकार के भीतर एक राजनीतिक इच्छाशक्ति की कमी करने के लिए गहरी समस्या का समाधान है. राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार एक तकनीकी या नौकरशाही अकेले दृष्टिकोण से नहीं घेरने की कोशिश कर सकते हैं, न ही यह केवल बाजार विनियमन या दोषपूर्ण प्रशासन की एक और समस्या के रूप में इलाज किया जा सकता. राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार एक राजनीतिक प्रकृति कि नागरिकों द्वारा केवल एक बहुत ही सीमित हद तक प्रभावित किया जा सकता है के समाधान के लिए कहता है.

एक दूसरी चुनौती है कि कैसे करने के लिए सरकार के भ्रष्ट निष्कर्षण पद्धतियों में बाधा और सरकारी संस्थानों और अधिकारियों के योगदान के लिए. बाहर की समस्या का आपूर्ति पक्ष सूखी कैसे - एक तरफ, यह बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियों / दुनिया कंपनियों के एक सवाल रिश्वत दे रहा है. दूसरी ओर, सवाल यह है कि नागरिकों की मदद कैसे एक वातावरण है कि यह कठिन नेताओं प्रणाली दूध के लिए बनाता है बना सकते हैं - के लिए मांग को सीमित. चुनौती के लिए अवैध निकासी का छेद है, और पारदर्शिता, जवाबदेही और घरेलू नियंत्रण तंत्र बनाने के लिए प्लग करने के लिए है.

एक तीसरा चुनौती देने के लिए बिजली संरक्षण के प्रयोजनों के लिए संसाधनों का उपयोग भ्रष्ट विवश करने के लिए है. सत्ता के धारकों द्वारा सार्वजनिक और निजी पैसे का उपयोग भ्रष्ट बनाए रखने के लिए सत्ता पर उनकी पकड़ काफी हद तक लोकतांत्रिक नियंत्रण का सवाल है, राज्य संस्थाओं द्वारा स्वतंत्र नागरिक समाज संगठनों और से (नियंत्रण और संतुलन, नियंत्रण और निरीक्षण की संस्थाओं), और मतपत्र बॉक्स (लोकतांत्रिक नकली चुनाव नहीं चुनाव) के माध्यम से नागरिकों द्वारा मीडिया.
निकाले: यहाँ क्लिक करें अधिक पढ़ने के लिए

WikiLeaks लोकतंत्र की दक्षिण भारत में मजाक उजागर
राजनेता चुनाव कानून तोड़ने स्वीकार करते हैं: 'हाँ, यह लोकतंत्र के बारे में महान बात है!
नेताओं और तमिलनाडु और आंध्र प्रदेश में अपने सहयोगियों चुनाव कानून का उल्लंघन करने के लिए भर्ती कराया नकद, माल, या सेवाओं के रूप में भुगतान के माध्यम से 2009 के लोकसभा चुनाव में मतदाताओं को प्रभावित करने, एक खुलासा केबल के अनुसार फ्रेडरिक जे द्वारा विदेश विभाग को भेजा कापलान., प्रिंसिपल के अधिकारी अभिनय वाणिज्य दूतावास-चेन्नई में जनरल अमेरिका.
यहाँ क्लिक करें 'वोट के लिए नकद "के बारे में अधिक पढ़ने के लिए

Air Force Fighter Pilot dons title of "Sports Mafia"

Suresh Kalmadi (born May 1, 1944) is an Indian politician and senior sports administrator. He is a member of the Indian National Congress political party. He is the president of the Indian Olympic Association, Asian Athletics Association, and Athletics Federation of India. He is currently being investigated into for his possible role in the misappropriation of $10 Billion allotted for the hosting of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Early years
Suresh Kalmadi studied at St. Vincent's High School, Pune in the state of Maharashtra in South West India; and then at Fergusson College, Pune. In 1960, he joined the National Defence Academy, Pune, and in 1964, he joined the Air Force Flying Colleges in Jodhpur and Allahabad. He served the Indian Air Force between 1964–1972 and was a recipient of eight medals in his career. After a premature discharge from the Air Force, Kalmadi ran a small fast food shop in Pune and was spotted by Sanjay Gandhi during one of his trips there and was one of the young people at that time that he convinced to join politics with the Congress Party. Kalmadi has served effectively in various capacities with the Congress since and is now one of the wealthiest businessman as well in Pune even from his known sources of income.
He was the president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress from 1978-1980. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha for three terms from 1982 to 1995, and again in 1998. He was also elected to the 11th Lok Sabha in 1996, and to the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004. Presently, he is the sitting MP from Pune. During the tenure of P. V. Narasimha Rao as the Prime Minister of India, Suresh Kalmadi served as the Minister of State for Railways from 1995 to 1996.
Political Strides
He was the President of the Indian Olympic Association and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of recently concluded Commonwealth Games held in Delhi from 3 to 14 October 2010. On October 11, 2008, in Pune, Kalmadi was elected president of the Indian Olympics Association for the fourth time
During the felicitation ceremony that had been arranged to honour the three Indian medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Kalmadi reportedly walked out because he had not been offered a chair next to the Vice-President of India Hamid Ansari. In January 2010, former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh accused Kalmadi of being a 'sports mafia'.
CWG Scam
The conduct of 2010 Commonwealth Games has come under public scanner and legal scrutiny as well with the Chief Vigilance Commission (an apex anti-corruption body of India) asking CBI to probe certain aspects of the games' organization. For this, the opposition demanded the resignation of Suresh Kalmadi. It has been alleged that illegitimate wealth created through over reporting (inflating) of games costs has been parked with the Jaypee Group, through financial involvement of his son, Sumeer Kalmadi, in the F1 circuit project at Greater Noida. However, Kalmadi continues to deny corruption charges. Finally, in spite of repeated attempts at meeting with the PM, officials in the PMO have thwarted any direct meeting between the two since the Commonwealth Games controversy. Finally, minutes before the start of the Winter Session of Parliament on 9 November 2010 the Congress party gave marching orders to Suresh Kalmadi. He is still in the media glare and continues to deny any corruption or money laundering!
Wikipedia Inputs; Click here

Political Corruption in India

What is political corruption in India?
Political corruption can be defined both with reference to the main actors involved, namely persons at the highest levels of the political system, and the purpose of the corrupt behaviour, namely to sustain the hold on power. Hence, political corruption can be for private and group enrichment, and for power preservation purposes. Often these two forms of political corruption are connected. Some of the larger and more serious political corruption scandals include both processes - accumulation on the one hand and the misuse of extracted or public money for political purposes on the other. The latter process is somewhat under-researched and underestimated, since much of the focus in the literature has been on accumulation. The present scams like 2G, CWG, Adarsh, Hasan Ali, Secret Swiss Bank Accounts are minuscule samples.

Political corruption in the form of accumulation or extraction occurs when government officials use and abuse their hold on power to extract from the private sector, from government revenues, and from the economy at large. These processes of accumulation have been called extraction, embezzlement, rent-seeking, plunder and even kleptocracy ("rule by thieves"), depending on the extent and context. Extraction takes place mainly in the form of soliciting bribes in procurement and government projects, in privatisation processes and in taxation. Military procurement is known to be particularly affected by extractive political corruption worldwide, because of the involvement of top-level politicians, national interests and secrecy.

The other process, when extracted resources (and public money) are used for power preservation and power extension purposes, usually takes the form of favouritism and patronage politics. It includes a favouritist and politically motivated distribution of financial and material inducements, benefits, advantages, and spoils. Techniques include money and material favours to build political loyalty and political support. Power-holders can pay off rivals and opposition and secure a parliamentary majority. By giving preferences to private companies they can get party and campaign funds, and by paying off the governmental institutions of checks and control they can stop investigations and audits and gain judicial impunity. Furthermore, by buying loyal decisions from election commissions and by buying votes they can secure their re-election.

Political corruption takes place at the highest levels of the political system, and can thus be distinguished from administrative or bureaucratic corruption. Bureaucratic corruption takes place at the implementation end of politics, for instance in government services like education and health. Political corruption takes place at the formulation end of politics, where decisions on the distribution of the nation's wealth and the rules of the game are made.

Political corruption is usually also distinguished from business and private sector corruption. This is only a matter of academic classification, however, since the bribes offered by private companies, domestic and international, are frequent and significant corruption drivers. Focus now, however, is not on the supply side of corrupt transactions, but on the demand side. Most definitions of corruption also emphasise the demand (state) side, for instance in stating that corruption is "abuse of public authority and power for private benefit".

Challenges facing Citizens
What can one do when the governments and/or senior government officials and politicians are corrupt? These forms of political corruption pose at least three types of challenges.

Firstly, how can the lack of political will to address the problem be confronted? When key individuals with political power are corrupt, there is often a deep lack of political will within government to address the problem. Political corruption cannot be tackled by a technical or bureaucratic approach alone, nor can it be treated only as another problem of market regulation or defective administration. Political corruption calls for solutions of a political nature that can be influenced by citizens only to a very limited extent.

A second challenge is how to contribute to constraining the corrupt extraction practices of the government and of government institutions and officials. On the one hand, this is a question of MNCs/ world companies offering bribes - how to dry out the supply side of the problem. On the other hand, the question is how can citizens help create an environment that makes it harder for politicians to milk the system - to restrict the demand. The challenge is how to plug the holes of illicit extraction, and how to create transparency, accountability and domestic control mechanisms.

A third challenge is how to constrain the corrupt use of resources for power preservation purposes. The corrupt use of public and private money by power-holders to maintain their hold on power is to a large extent a question of democratic controls, by state institutions (institutions of checks and balances, control and oversight), by independent civil society organisations and the media, and by citizens through the ballot box (democratic elections not fake elections).
Extracted: click here to read more

WikiLeaks exposes mockery of democracy in South India
Politicians admit breaking election law: ‘yes, that's the great thing about democracy'!
Politicians and their aides in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh admitted to violating election law to influence voters in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls through payments in the form of cash, goods, or services, according to a revealing cable sent to the State Department by Frederick J. Kaplan, Acting Principal Officer of the U.S. Consulate-General in Chennai.
click here to read more on "cash for votes"

CM gets proficiency certificate from GOC

'Modi has qualities of successful Army commander'
Press Trust of India, Updated: March 14, 2011 18:50 IST
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has all the qualities of a successful Army commander, said General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major General I S Singha of the Golden Katar Division here today.
He was speaking at the inauguration of three-day 'Know Your Army' exhibition organised by the Golden Katar Division of the Army.
"Chief Minister Modi has all the qualities of a successful Army commander. His programmes are aimed at development of both the state and the nation," Singha said.
"Like in the Army, he (Modi) keeps deadline for completion of work, and ensures that target is achieved by the set time," he added.
Singha praised Modi and his government for the developmental work in the state.
The Golden Katar GOC also sought land for ex-servicemen housing scheme.
"I would like to request the Chief Minister to provide land to the Army for setting up housing welfare societies for the ex-servicemen in Ahmedabad. Such schemes are available in all other states," Singha said.
The inaugural ceremony saw brilliant performances of Malkhamb, Lazium and Khukri dance by the Army personnel.
The Dare Devils gave a spell-binding performance with stunts on motorcycles.
'Modi has qualities of successful Army commander'

Pension cases of ex-servicemen pile up in banks

Seema Sharma Tribune News Service Dehradun, March 14, 2011
Cases related to the pension and arrears of ex-servicemen continue to pile up in nationalised banks as the backlog has still not been cleared after it got blocked due to the fresh recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission in 2008.

Another reason doled out by bank personnel for the stuck-up matters is the highly complex and complicated detailing with regard to the positions of the officers and other ranks and other appendages that have to be taken into account to streamline the collective financial package to be given to them at the end of the month.

Representative of the Centralised Pension Processing Centre (CPPC) of the SBI said, “The problems of ex-servicemen’s pension cases crop up for two reasons. One was the sudden change in the entire pension and arrear packages due to the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission. The entire package of each one was reworked keeping the minutest details in view. The second was the convergence of all the cases regarding pension and arrears of Central Government employees and ex-servicemen of the whole country to the CPPC, Chandni Chowk. The system was bound to slow down”.

In view of the high number of ex-servicemen living in the state, a separate section was created in the SBI branch at Garhi Cantt that is manned by officer Manoj Sharma.

As per the figures provided by the District Soldier Board, Uttarakhand has 23,000 registered ex-servicemen, 2,998 widows, 123 war veterans, 104 widows of war veterans and 23 World War veterans.

“It took me a lot of time to really become conversant with the intricate tables of the pension and arrears of ex-servicemen. I have to keep track of the details other than their ranks and positions, such as of gallantary awards, war veterans, disability factor, widows, who are further categorised into war widows or World War widows, their age etc. Having mastered the trick now, I am able to deal with the complaints that I receive from ex-servicemen and at times solve them at my level only,” said Sharma.

He also asserted that a backlog was smoothly being cleared up with the system now finally falling into place.

However, Manager, Punjab National Bank, Sunita Diwan, who handles other banking transactions, along with salaries of the serving and pension cases of the ex-servicemen said, “Dealing with the salary or pension cases of defence personnel is quite intricate for someone who has nothing to do with these services. Therefore, for any query, if I contact the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension), Allahabad, who is responsible for the release of any government order/corrigendum related to any change in salary/pensions of ex-servicemen, it is not responsive or accessible to the extent it should be”.

“The department does not give any contact numbers despite repeated requests, nor do they reply to the written queries before three to four months. If only they launch a helpline or give us their contact numbers, many queries can be sorted out within 5 minutes,” she added. Notably, the banks are paid just Rs 45 for each case to look after the cases of the ex-servicemen.
Pension cases of ex-servicemen pile up in banks
Comment: Slew of MOD instructions to speed up payment of entitled Pensions by Banks proves futile and negated. Pension delivery to the most deserving is scuttled due unintelligible/ undecipherable Pension Tables!

Adarsh Housing Society: Cases booked under IPC

PIB- Ministry of Defence 14-March, 2011 20:18 IST
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a Preliminary Enquiry on 15.11.2010 which has been completed and a regular case registered on 29.1.2011 against 13 persons under various sections of Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Searches have been conducted at 13 places and large number of documents have been seized, which are under scrutiny by CBI. The names of accused persons are :(1) Shri R.C. Thakur, the then sub. Divisional Officer, Defence Estate Office, Mumbai, (2) Brigadier (Brig) [Retd]. Madan Mohan Wanchu, (3) Shri Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, Ex-MLC, (4) Major General (Maj Gen) [Retd], A.R. Kumar, the then General Officer Commanding in-charge (GOC), Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa (MG&G) Area, Mumbai, (5) Brig.(Retd) Romesh Chandra Sharma, the then Deputy GOC, MG&G area, Mumbai, (6) Maj Gen Tej Krishan Kaul, the then GOC, Indian Army Mumbai, (7) Brig (Retd.) Tara Kant Sinha, the then Colonel, MG&G Area, Mumbai, (8) Brig P.K. Rampal, the then Commandant, sub area Mumbai, (9) Sh. P.V. Deshmukh, the then Dy. Secretary D/o Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra, (10) Shri Ramanand Tiwari, the then Principal Secretary, D/o Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra, (11) Shri Subhash Lala, the then Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra, (12) Dr. Pradeep Vyas, the then Collector, Mumbai, (13) Shri Ashok Rao Chavan, the then Revenue Minister and the then Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra and private persons. Investigation is in progress. The details of violation of rules/ regulation can be ascertained only after completion of investigation.
Some note sheets of a Adarsh Housing Society related file of Department of Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra have been found missing. In this regard, FIR has been filed with Mumbai Police against unknown persons.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to S DR. Arvind Kumar Sharma and others in Lok Sabha today. PK/NN
(Release ID :70979)
Adarsh Housing Society

Fake Pilots and Fake Passports- Is Air Travel Safe?

India may have 4000 'fake' pilots
NDTV Correspondent, Updated: March 14, 2011 00:23 IST
New Delhi: Just a few days after Parminder Kaur Gulati, a suspended pilot of Indigo airline, was arrested on charges of faking her marksheet to get a pilot licence, another arrest on the same grounds has been made. This time around, Captain J K Verma, a pilot of the national carrier Air India has been arrested.

"We have arrested Verma. Investigations are on. We have been provided more names by the Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA). The scanner is on two more pilots - Meenakshi Sehgal of Indigo and Swaran Singh Talwar of MDLR," a senior police official said.

It all began after Parminder Kaur Gulati was grounded two months ago for violating landing norms. The matter was then reported to the aviation watchdog, the DGCA. The airline watchdog admits there was a lapse, but says 4000 pilot licences are now under fresh scrutiny.

"In the wake of the fake pilot scare, licenses of 3,000 to 4,000 pilots are being scrutinised by the DGCA," said Civil Aviation secretary Nasim Zaidi.

To get a licence, a pilot has to clear three subjects. But in Gulati's case, a probe by the DGCA showed she couldn't clear two papers, so she allegedly forged the marksheets.
Read more at: Fake Pilots

MEA dishes out Fake Passports for a bribe
Chennai: The CBI unearthed a passport racket in Tamil Nadu being run allegedly in connivance with officials, arresting eight persons, including a woman officer. The accused, arrested in Madurai and Chennai, have been charged with issuing Tatkal passports based on forged and fake documents.

The investigating agency also recovered cash and other property to the tune of around Rs. 25 lakh from them. CBI teams conducted simultaneous surprise checks at the passport offices in Madurai and Chennai and arrested the officials and touts, a release of the agency said.
Read more at:
Chennai: CBI unearths fake passport racket, 8 held
How easy for terrorists to get a Indian Passport?
Honest Regional Passport Officer, Chennai, Sumathi Ravichandran arrested for taking Bribes- what is her status- a free bird?
Comment:
MEA staff in India and all over the world are the most corrupt. What message is SM Krishna sending to the World? MEA has participatory role in Terror activities. Should not the MEA staff be booked under "Anti- Terror Laws"?

Is the Military Watchdog for the Looters?

Justice and the Armed Forces: A mirage

Dear General,
Your letter to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi is both to the point and daring. But what is the use? This letter too will be read and answered by one more Joker Secretary (JS) as all these political leaders are fire-walled by such jokers. Mrs. Gandhi must be getting thousands of such letter every day and she has (like all other political leaders) no time to read such letters. Leaders depend upon the gist of communications put up to them, and this gist is again prepared by these jokers in a manner that suits them. In short, nothing is read or understood by leaders except what is put up to them by babus or when there is an emergency situation where their survival is at stake.

What is the way to break out of this curse? The only way is for serving Generals to 'jago'. If they can acquire a little bit of your daring, things will begin to change. The Chiefs need to meet the top leadership without going through jokers, Secretaries, intermediaries, pseudo leaders and junior leaders. First and foremost the Chiefs must learn to bracket themselves with the top leadership of the country in matters of strategy, governance and politics. FM Sam Manekshaw came up only to the level of national strategy when he dared to tell Mrs. Indira Gandhi to fall in line with his views. We now need someone to go a step further and give his views on governance and political chaos. If someone can do it, we will have a better India in all departments. Time has come when the Defence Forces need not be watch dogs against external threat and internal security matters. Time has come when Defence Forces need not be used by babus and politicians as watchmen for them to loot the country. Time has come to step in to give firm and sanguine advice to powers going stray. Time has come to show that Defence forces are not sheep to be herded around by babus. Babus have covered us in sheep clothes and themselves in lion's attire and both have started acting as such. This realisation must come and come fast before jokers start herding us even more.
I am sure one broad independent statement from the Chiefs on the state of affairs prevailing in the country will tune everyone to the needs of soldiers and veterans. It will be like one roar from a lion making sheep run for cover.
It's another story if a lion has a carrot stuck in his throat!
Veteran Ram Gulrajani
Chennai.

Veteran Voice
Dear Former Chiefs of the Three Services and other senior military veterans – it is because of our loyalty and our sacrifices that you attained those high posts. Now - it is time for you all to show your loyalty to your subordinates and work according to the basic ethics of Military and ensure Justice for all your retired brethern who are running from pillar to post.

Army Officers assets will be in public domain: Army setting national standards

Army to get vigilance wing to curb scams: Gen VK Singh
New Delhi: Stung by a series of land scams and corruption cases, the Indian Army is now planning to set up an internal vigilance wing to keep a tab on its men and prevent such instances from recurring.

Army Chief General V.K. Singh said at the annual Army Day-eve press conference on Friday that one of his thrust areas since he took over office on March 31 last year was 'improving the internal health' of the force to stop corruption among its personnel.

"Though this (internal health) is a very vast subject, what we are looking for is a vigilance mechanism. We do not have this (vigilance) in the Army. We now looking at having one. Of course, we do take suo motu action on a lot of issues (corruption and scams) that come up," Singh said.

He was replying to a question on the numerous land scams and the action he had taken in the last nine months as army chief on improving the internal health of the force.

On the action against his predecessor, Gen. Deepak Kapoor, whose name figures in the last three land scams that the Army has faced, the army chief said that the former being a retired officer, the cases have been handed over to the defence ministry for appropriate action.

Kapoor's name figures in the Sukna episode in West Bengal, the Adarsh Housing Society in Colaba and and land adjacent to the Central Ordnance Depot Kandivali being handed over to a private developer. The last two cases are in Mumbai.

"We (the Army) do not have the means to do investigation on these matters, such as checking out some bank accounts. The defence ministry will decide on the action needed in these cases," Singh said.

With regard to serving officers involved in the Adarsh Housing Society episode, he said the Army would initiate action against them as per the service rules and the army law. "We have a legal system in the army which will take care of this," he added.

To a query if he would be the first army chief to declare his assets in the public domain and set a precedent for others to follow, Singh said there existed an internal system under which officers filed their movable and immovable property returns every year and on all occasions when they bought or sold property.

"I am sure at some point in time, the assets details of serving officers will come into the public domain," he said indicating he would not mind such open declaration of his property details.

In the last two years, the Army has been hit by a series of land scams beginning with the Sukna military station in West Bengal, Adarsh Housing Society in Colaba in 2009 and Central Ordnance Depot land in Kandivalli.

In all these cases, army officers had given No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to private builders to construct educational institution or highrise housing complex.

Taking note of these instances, Defence Minister A.K. Antony had announced Thursday that his ministry would make stricter rules for NOCs so that lower level officers could not misuse it and that the Defence Estates land would be computerised for maintaining proper records.
Army to get vigilance wing to curb scams: Gen VK Singh

Justice And The Armed Forces: A Mirage

Gentlemen,
I enclose herewith a copy of the letter I have sent to Mrs Sonia Gandhi, with copies to the RM, Mr Antony and Chairman, Chiefs' of Staff Committee, ACM Naik.
I doubt if any earthshaking effect will come out of this letter but we have to keep on chipping at this boulder till it is a pebble and can be disregarded!
Wish more of us were to do it.
Lt Gen SK Bahri PVSM (Retd)

Justice And The Armed Forces: A Mirage
I had written a letter to you on 14 Jun 10 on the above subject (click here) and was hoping that you as Head of The National Advisory Committee, a body which is trying to give justice to people who have long been denied it, will respond favourably to the request of the Armed Forces. You passed my letter on to the Ministry of Defence for necessary action. To my surprise I got a reply from JS (Pension) dated 11 Feb 11 (click here to read the JS reply).

The JS could not have replied in a more bureaucratic manner. Wasted a whole sheet of paper telling half truths and provides garbled information, taking me to be an ignoramus who can be fooled, just as this babudom has been doing to our hapless country for the last 60 years. Not realising that I served my last four years in Army HQ and am quite aware of bureaucratic subterfuges. No wonder the Services chafe against such Joint Secretaries, who consider themselves equal to a Major General but we would be loathe to equate him to a Major!

Firstly, he talks about the Govt having filed an appeal (IA No 9/2010) seeking modification of the Supreme Court order dated 8 Mar 2010. He talks as though it affects the pay and allowances of many serving/retired officers favourably and, so asks us to await the Court’s order that will be delivered on 24 Feb 11. He does not reveal that his Ministry is fighting tooth and nail the Supreme Court order of 8 Mar 2010, only because it is favourable to the Officers. During the hearing on 24 Feb 11 the Supreme Court termed the affidavit filed by the MOD as contemptuous and disregarded it. The typical attitude of the Govt, about which I had complained to you and Mr Veerappa Moily. I have a feeling that when the matter is heard in 8 Mar 11, the Supreme Court will flay the Govt with full fury for prevaricating against soldiers who are defenceless in their own country.

I can understand the bureaucracy being jealous of the Services (despite the babus and some of the the media trying to run them down) but it seems the political masters (including the Supreme Commander), despite pronouncements to the contrary, think on the same lines. An organisation which binds the country together, works selflessly in extreme conditions and maintains high standards of probity amidst the all pervading corruption, is being singled out for denying its legitimate dues. Is it because the Services do not form a vote bank?

Secondly, the JS is miserly with truth when he says that Cabinet Secretary’s Committee although “did not recommend One Rank One Pension, substantial improvement in the pension of Commissioned Officers and PBORs have been recommended”. Whereas the Committee flatly recommended that there is no need to treat the Armed Forces officers differently from the civilian officers. The JS then goes on to quote letters which have no relevance to the Committee’s recommendations on officers’ pensions. I would recommend to the Minister of Defence that action should be taken against this civil servant for not giving answers based on facts.

Lastly, I have a question on the staffing pattern of the MOD. Why is it that the Department of Ex Servicemen Welfare and the Department Of Pensions under it, do not have any representatives of the Services? In our Country the heads of the Minority & SC/ST Commissions or the Minister of Minority Affairs is always from the affected parties, but the Department of Ex Sevicemen Welfare is headed by an IAS officer and there is not a single defence officer in the Pension Department. Do you believe that Armed Forces officers cannot be relied upon to do a job honestly, impartially and diligently? Or is the IAS the only service which produces honest, impartial and diligent officers? It is this unwillingness to hear the affected parties which is responsible for the governance deficit in our country.

The Armed Forces need answers and they will not be fobbed off by bureaucratic shenanigans as attempted by Mr Harbans Singh, JS (Pension).
With warm regards.
Yours sincerely,
(Lt Gen SK Bahri)

Mrs Sonia Gandhi
Chairperson UPA
10 Janpath
New Delhi 110001
Copy to:

Mr AK Antony
Honourable Minister of Defence
9 Krishna Menon Marg
New Delhi 110011

Mr Harbans Singh
Joint Secretary (Pension)
Ministry of Defence

Dept of Ex Servicemen Welfare
DHQ PO
New Delhi 110011