OROP: Presentation to Petition Committee

Dear Colleagues,
The presentation to the Rajya Sabha Petitions Committee took place as scheduled. It was heard by the Chairman Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiari, and many other members including Shri Ram Vilas Paswan and Shri Rajiv Shukla. Our team included, Hony Lt Kameshwar Pande, Col Rakesh Chaturvedi, Maj Gen Satbir Singh and self. Our 25-minute power point projection was heard with rapt attention. Body language of the Committee members betrayed a very positive response.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

PRESENTATION TO THE PETITION COMMITTEE OF RAJYA SABHA AND OTHER RELATED UPDATES
Dear Veterans,
1. The Petition Committee of Rajya Sabha on One Rank One Pension (OROP) invited a number of veteran organizations and a few veterans for the presentation on 16 May 2011. We had requested the Petition Committee to grant us sufficient time to make the presentation to enable us to do justice to the cause. You will be glad to know that our request was accepted. Alongwith us, the Navy Foundation Delhi Chapter and Brig Mahalingam an IESM veteran also made their presentations.
2. Gen Kadyan, Col R P Chaturvedi, Hony Lt Kameshwar Pandey and self represented the IESM. Gen Kadyan made a gripping, impressive, forceful and excellent presentation bringing out all the relevant facts, logic and analysis for the grant of OROP. The members of the committee which comprised Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chairman Petition Committee and Members of Rajya Sabha, Shri Avinash Pande, Shri Rajeev Shukla, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Shri Nandi Yellaiah, heard our presentation fully engrossed and their body language demonstrated their compassion for the soldier. Col RP Chaturvedi, Hoy Lt Kameshwar Pandy made brief forceful comments. I was privileged to add a few points with a couplet commenting on the bureaucracy-
“Mera Katil hi Mera Munsif Hai, Mere Haq Mein Kiya Faisla Dega” (My Murderer is the Judge, How will he give Judgement in my Favour?)
I appealed to the Hon’ble Members of the petition Committee that Injustice to the Defence Forces must end at the earliest in the interest of the Nation”.
3. The Navy Foundation led by Admiral Harinder made an equally strong presentation highlighting the issue of Non functional upgrades and other promotional avenues and benefits which the bureaucracy has given to itself.
4. We were also privileged to listen to Brig V Mahalingam to a very captivating, factually backed and emotionally charged presentation which was heard by the Committee members in rapt silence nodding in obvious agreement. They commented that during the day’s proceedings they had indeed been exposed to the facts hither to fore unknown to them.
5. We also take the privilege to release IESM Memorandum and Memorandum sent by self with related documents to the Petition Committee. Friends, we are thankful to other veteran organizations ie IESL, All India Ex Services Welfare Association, Naval foundation, IESL Uttrakhand and veterans Gen HB Kala, Gen Vijay Oberoi, Gen Radhakrishnan, AVM R P Mishra, Admiral Alan O’Leary, Admiral Arun Saxena, Brig V Mahalingam for forcefully presenting the case for OROP in their respective memorandums. During our presentation, we were also privileged to hear Mr. Ramachandran Gen Secretary of All India Central Confederation of Pensioners Association speaking in favour of the Defence Personnel. He remarked that if the Defence Personnel are Govt employees, they have to be given employment till the age of 60. In case they are being compulsorily retired earlier, suitable compensation for them is the bounden duty of the Government.
6. Dear veterans, the time has come for the OROP to be sanctioned. Let us hope the Govt (read bureaucracy) does not derail it any more. As announced earlier, if the OROP is not granted by September 2011, the IESM has planned to carryout “Fauji Gaurav Yatras” in all states of the country starting first with Punjab. The Yatras will cover all the districts of the state. Defence veterans, their members of the families and supporters in large number are likely to take part in Yatras. The aim is to draw attention of the people of India about the illtreatement of military by successive Govts for the last 62 years. We also plan to collect maximum medals and blood signatures on the memorandum to be deposited with the President of India and inform veterans across the country that those political parties who do not support or work to get us OROP have NO RIGHT TO ask for our votes in any election. Forgetting differences if any, all veteran organizations and individual veterans are requested to join in our crusade to get justice for Defence Forces.
7. We will conduct the Yatras in a peaceful and dignified manner keeping in view the democratic norms and discipline.
“We will succeed”. “God Bless God Speed”.
With Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman, IESM