IESL: Issues taken up with the Supreme Commander

MEMORANDUM FROM THE INDIAN EXSERVICES LEAGUE AND SOLDIER’S WIDOWS TO HER EXCELLENCY PRATIBHA DEVI SINGH PATIL, PRESIDENT OF INDIA AND SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES
ESM issues
1. Over the years the Indian Ex-Services League, an apex body to articulate concerns of all Ex-Servicemen and widows of country duly recognised by Govt of India, has been highlighting the continuous lowering of their status vis-à-vis equivalent Central Govt Officials. Due to the neglect of successive Pay Commissions, service in the Armed Forces has become unattractive and the right talent is no longer being attracted for a career in the military. Unfortunately, we have not achieved success in our endeavours. The 6th Central Pay Commission has also failed to address this issue and has ignored demand of “One Rank One Pension” alongwith other related issues, causing despondency amongst the ex-servicemen community. Due to this indifferent attitude of the authorities this massive Rally on 7th May 08 is being held.

2. One Rank One Pension. This demand by the Ex-Servicemen has been raised over and over again since the 1980s. It implies that all retirees get the same pension irrespective of their date of retirement. Increase in pension should be applicable to all pensioners. A soldier and an officer gives his entire life, suffering hardships and domestic life disturbance, facing danger to life and limb expects that he would be paid adequate pension to enable him to lead a life of dignity. In the volatile economic scenario, he expects that his pension would be enhanced periodically to meet inflation. Two defence employees retiring in the same rank, after same length of service should get equal pension irrespective of their date of retirement. Inspite of solemn declarations in and outside Parliament by United Front Government on 05 Sep 91 and NDA Government on 14 Apr 99 and the successive Governments, they have not implemented their promises. The Central Pay Commission has again ignored this demand. The demand of “One Rank One Pension” is the core grievance which is agitating the veterans.

3. Ex-Servicemen Welfare to be a part of the Concurrent List. There is a vide disparity between the facilities/ concessions accorded to the Defence Pensioners in various States. They are on Concurrent list while in service but disparity starts after retirement e.g. exemption of VAT, House Tax (applicable only in some States) and wide variance of monetary grant for Gallantry Awards winners from State to State. There is a need to enact an Act of parliament whereby the laid down quota of vacancies reserved for the defence pensioners is constitutionally enforced on the Central and State Governments. Equally, there is a need to constitute an Ex-Servicemen Commission on the lines of similar commissions to have constitutional authority. The existing Department of Welfare in the Ministry of Defence is ill equipped to meet the aspirations of the Ex-Servicemen as it has no statutory powers.

4. Guaranteed Second Lateral Employment upto 60 Years. Imperative of keeping the armed forces young, necessitates that a soldier retires at the age of 35 years, Junior Commission Officer at 45 years and bulk of Officers at 54-56 years. There is no effective system whereby they can work till the age of 60 years like other Government employees. The Directorate General of Resettlement, a Ministry of Defence Organization can secure employment to only a miniscule numbers of retirees. There has to be a Central Govt provision to ensure that all retirees from the Armed Forces are compulsorily absorbed in PMFs/PSUs/Other such agencies for an assured career upto 60 years of age.

5. Separate Pay Commission for the Armed Forces. This a long outstanding issue has been accepted by the Government.

6. All Concessions including MSP/ Pension to be with Retrospective with effect from 01 Jan 2006. Existing pensioners should also be entitled to get all benefits that accrue to pensioners who retire now. When all other government employees are getting their pay and pension arrears from 1.1.2006, to deny it to the defence personnel by recommending that the MSP be paid only prospectively is discriminatory. The arrears should be paid from 1.1.2006.

7. Only macro issues have been raised which affect 4.5 million Ex-Servicemen and widows. As Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and our Grand Patron-in-Chief we appeal to you to please ensure justice for the selfless spirit and sacrifices of the veterans who have devoted prime of their lives in the service of their motherland. The nation and the government are morally bound to take care of its soldiers while they are in service and after retirement.
Brig RKS Gulia (Retd)
President
Indian Ex-Service League
Memo to President
IESL Under Construction
Related reading
Pay Commission Anomalies LET’S NOT DEMORALISE DEFENCE FORCES By Col (Dr) PK Vasudeva (Retd)

IESM: Be temperate and disagree with dignity

Dear Colleagues,
Over the last two years there has been a great awakening among the ESM. We have become visibly and vocally aware of how successive governments have been doing us down over the years. Our voice, suppressed over the years by the weight of the Service rules, has found air. We are justifiably angry. In the case of some of us the anger finds expression through our keyboard fingers.
With this rather sudden realization we have begun to look for issues to criticise the regime on. We need to keep in mind that raising too many issues – some not even directly connected with the ESM welfare – might give us an unfair and unwanted tag of being garrulous. This would hurt pursuit of our main goal of OROP and other demands.
Internally, the subject of membership fees refuses to die down. There are weighty arguments supporting both options; maintaining status quo as well as effecting a reduction. The issue has been debated and decided repeatedly in the Governing Body, as well during a Core Group meeting. Views expressed in rallies have also not been unanimous in favour of either option. We should leave the issue for discussion in the next AGM.
A related issue is whether the government response has any direct relation to the total number of members and to the fact that an entity is recognized by the government. While each one of us has his view on the subject, recalling of some facts may be in order:

Before IESM membership had touched a four-figure mark, or even before IESM was born and when the protest rallies were conducted under ESMO beginning in April 2008, the government conceded two of our major demands.

Constitution of an ESM Commission

A separate pay commission for the armed forces. We should recall that on earlier occasions the government had repeatedly turned down the Chiefs’ request of even having representation in the pay commissions.

We already have ESM organizations having large membership (lakhs) and government recognition and still not having been able to get the ESM their dues.

It needs to be known that government recognition is based on certain pre-conditions. These include a written acceptance of shunning any form of anti- government public protest such as rallies, depositing of medals etc.
I will again appeal to all ESM to use temperate language while voicing a counter view. All of us are entitled to our opinions. Let us disagree with dignity. Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

None amongst must forget..."
"For democracy... for the precious right to speak freely..."
"Down the long, long corridors of duty, of honour, of gallantly going silently, We remain silent of deeds and sacrifices..."
"No veterans, no democracy, you got no India we lovingly call Bharat."

National Anomaly Committee hibernates before attempting to resolve the anomalies

The government had officially closed the chapter for grant of any additional benefit to pre-2006 retirees or any improvement in the modified parity already implemented (2.26 times of old basic pension or 50% of minimum of new pay band + Grade Pay + MSP when applicable, whichever is higher). Similarly, the government had also officially closed the chapter for grant of full pension to retirees who had been released between 01-01-2006 and 02-09-2008 after putting in 20 years of service. As we know, the government has already relented on the latter aspect and even issued the letter granting the benefit. Now it seems that there is going to be a re-think on improving the modified parity granted to pre-2006 pensioners.

In a meeting between the National Anomalies Committee on the 6th CPC Chaired by the Secretary Personnel, Govt of India, and the Confederation of Central Govt Employees and Workers, the government has decided to consider the issue once again. It would be worthwhile to state that almost all pensionary modalities made applicable to civil employees are extended to defence personnel also.

More details on the meeting can be accessed at: National Anomaly Committee- Meeting and decisions

Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 5:14 AM
Indian Military Information

IESM: Goals to be achieved

Dear Colleagues,
The first AGM of IESM was held as per schedule in NOIDA today. It was attended by over 400 ESM from different States – Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, UP, HP, Punjab , and Haryana etc. Apart from the customary business of passing of the accounts and selection of auditors, which were done unanimously, the meeting also took stock of the progress made by the IESM in its first year of infancy. It was brought out that even though the OROP issue is yet to be fully resolved by the govt, the IESM can be legitimately proud of the following that have undeniably come about only because of the struggle launched by the Movement:

The almost forgotten issue of OROP has come on the national radar screen.

As per media reports, the government has been forced to accept the two demands of having a separate pay commission for the armed forces and of constituting an ESM Commission. Both these are part of IESM demands.

Two major political parties, BJP and CPM included the OROP issue in their election manifesto by categorically stating that if voted to power, they would sanction OROP. It may be relevant to recall that the same BJP had not sanctioned OROP during their over six years NDA rule.

The President of India included mention of the term OROP in her address to the opening session of the Parliament on 04 June 2009. This was the first time in India ’s history that the ‘taboo’ word was used by the First Citizen of the country.

A high level committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary was constituted (on the eve of General Elections) to examine OROP.

Substantial pension benefits for pre 1997 PBOR are in the pipe line and an amount of Rs 2144 Crore has already been set aside for this purpose.

It was unanimously resolved to continue with the struggle. It was reiterated that the struggle must continue to remain within the ambit of law and discipline, and that we must not do anything that might put the public at inconvenience thereby risking their support and sympathy. Keeping these tenets in mind it was mentioned that after trying out various methods, depositing of medals was found to be the most potent form of protest. It has tremendous psychological significance, high visibility and has left the government groping for an appropriate counter. Admittedly, it is not spectacular and earth-shattering, but it is powerful and lasting in its effect. This must continue.

Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM
For more details and photographs taken during the IESM AGM, held on 13 Dec 09 at Noida, kindly visit the IESM website http://www.iesm.org/

Dear Brig Kamboj,
I take this opportunity, on behalf of many a Veterans here in Toronto (Canada) in thanking you and the organisation for the tremendous efforts being put in by you and others in regard to the problems of Veterans. Whatever has been achieved is entirely your effort. Thanks a million for everything. We would have been ' up the gum tree', without you, The President, Vice President and others. What a devoted and a dedicated team we have.
I keep getting the info from my course mates( 23 NDA Course) and others too. I would like to pay whatever amount is due for the membership etc etc.Coming to India in Feb and would like to clear the dues then for becoming a life member. Please be kind enough to fwd the details at your convenience.
Thanks for everything. May the organisation grow ' from strength to strength ' under the leadership of each one of you.
Warm Regards.
Col S S Cheema, SM, Veteran

Photographs of IESM Meeting at Noida on 27 Jan 2008

27 Jan 09.
Dear Members,
As you know we had an IESM meeting today at Noida, 1500 hrs onwards. The meeting was a great success. Detailed report will follow. For the time being I am forwarding some photos to you, which were taken during the meeting.
Regards
Chander Kamboj

IESM: Poineering vision for future India

Report my signal forum/ blog is a pioneer of this great movement of IESM. There have been lot of achievements and many more to come. This movement should ultimately culminate into growth and National development, besides achieving all listed IESM objectives.

In democracy numbers matter a lot. Our strength: Patriotism, highly disciplined, educated, experienced, talented and graet numbers. Ex and serving together with family members, their relations, friends, sympathizers, like- minded citizens and supporters are a reckonable FORCE.

The indifference of so called GOI represented by few self seeking and short sighted bureaucrats and politicians is glaringly visible. National security and many other national interests are being compromised. WE cannot remain as passive citizens. We cannot achieve our intended objectives by passive movement alone. As the movement is getting galvanized it is time for the think tank to give shape and lay foundation for future IESM activities with vision of ultimate national prosperity.

Our numbers in democracy are in multiples of millions: ex- servicemen & serving 4.5+1.5= 6 million with multi- factor of spouses, children and their spouses, relations etc. This composition are all over the country with higher numbers in few states/ districts. We can exercise considerable swing in voting results in the near parliamentary elections- of victory or defeat of a candidate.

Appeals and all those efforts should be supplemented by demographic strength also. The Govt of the day is aware of this strength and force, they are concerned and even fear of IESM GETTING ORGANISED. Therefore pursue all those issues with position of strength. We as citizens, senior citizens should get organized. We should grow out of colonial and old beliefs that politics is untouchable activity and national defense is prerogative of few individuals.

In the immediate future ESM groups should get organized and exercise their vote banks for defeat/ victory of a candidate. In few constituencies where ESM are in considerable strength they should contest as independents with affiliation to IESM.

In democracy and in present political scenario of coalition govts we have seen how few MPs (even single digit indep) have used and abused national resources for their selfish ends. There were no limits. Therefore we should not shy away from this activity of political... active participation. One needs to be optimistic and need not be pessimistic on this score.

Our objectives and goals should include national interests. Having seen how the systems are being abused we must check these by political participation. We have done enough as soldiers to defend this country from external aggression. Now it is time to defend the country from internal sabotage. Our legitimate pay/ pension with parity (WITHOUT DISPARITY) is a RIGHT. That level of pension without protecting our national interests would not give desired happiness to us and our future generations.
THE IESM MOVEMENT SHOULD CRYSTALLISE INTO A FORCE OF POLITICAL STRENGTH OF ETERNAL STANDING.

Lt Col ABG Reddy (Retd)

IESM: Debugging SCPC Pension Tables and tackling Banks compounding the chaos

Dear Brig Chander,

Thank you very much for the great efforts you are making to keep the movement running. We are grateful to all those who are working for the movement and assure them of our full support from Dehradun. We are also grateful to our veteran Maj Gen B.C.Khanduri, AVSM, Chief Minister Uttarakhand for raising the 'One Rank One Pension' issue at the 28th Central Sainik Board Meeting headed by the Defence Minister Shri A.K.Antony at Vigyan Bhavan New Delhi on 7th Jan 2009. I wish all our veterans who are occupying either Governors, Member of Parliaments, MLAs or are in such influential posts in central or state Govts should come out in open support to press the demand. It is not a big thing and Govt will have to yield.

Problem is being faced by our pre 1.1.2006 veterans in getting their revised Pension fixed by the PDOs which too has been messed up and needs clarification to them. Any how, we have gone into the issue and tried to find the reasons which veterans must be facing at other stations as well. Those are linked here for the information of all concerned.

With Regards,
Brig K.G.Behl

Dear All,
Most of us would be facing this chaos at our banks. Hopefully the Service HQ would take up the case with the MOD for issue of clear cut instructions soon.
Regards
Cdr Sharan Ahuja (Retd)
Member Core Group IESM
Visit Maj Navdeep's blog for clarification:
URGENT for (1) Pre-06 pensioners getting a pension lower than their juniors & (2) Personnel who retired between 01-01-06 and 02-09-08

IESM: Greetings 2009

Date: Wednesday, 31 December, 2008, 8:28 PM
Dear Colleagues,
Col Sandhu and his stalwarts from Amritsar are holding fort at Jantar Mantar since this morning for their 24 hours duty. Unmindful of the biting Delhi cold, their confident and fortifying presence at the venue is a great boost for the morale of the IESM.

Among the veterans who continue to visit the venue was our senior Lt Gen Satish Bahri. He has been an active contributor to the ESM cause both with his pen and with his purse. He and others who brave the cold and come over to pat those present, inject renewed life in the participants as well as the organisers. On behalf of all I thank him.

A number of other veterans and their spouses also visited the venue to buck up the team and to make financial contributions. Among these were a group from NOIDA (Col & Mrs Sekhri, Col & Mrs Vinod Kumar, Col Mohan, Col & Mrs KD Kaushal, Col CP Singh and my friend-in-law Manjula Mahajan). Our heartful thanks to them all.

The relay fast continues. We will soldier on.

Here is wishing every ESM and every Service family in India a very happy, healthy and agreeable 2009.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

IESM: "One Rank One Pension" Ploy of Successive Governments

Friends,

I give below, two extracts from e-mails received on the IESM e-net. The first is a Tribune article dated 25 May 1999 by RAdm Satyendra Singh and the second is a very recent Press Statement by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The first shows how when the BJP-led NDA government was in power, they made the right noises by Defence Minister Fernandes "okaying" OROP, but did nothing to implement it even though they had enough time and more. The second shows how the BJP is making political mileage out of the present UPA government's insistence (totally idiotic and myopic, in my view, considering the integrity of the Union of India) that OROP is neither feasible nor necessary.

The bottom line as far as our IESM policy is concerned, should be that none of the political parties can be trusted, and we can get our due of justice and equity only if we fight on simply as IESM without any leanings towards one political party or another, as we have been while in service. The common factor is, of course, the bureaucracy, which has seen to it (regardless of which party or coalition is in power) that OROP has not been sanctioned by government. May I request that this letter be circulated for info of others.

Wishing you and yours a very happy New Year 2009 with good health and fitness, and wishes for success in gaining OROP in 2009.
In solidarity,
Maj Gen S.G.Vombatkere (Retd)
Issue of one rank, one pension: Nine years ago
One rank, one pension blues: Decade ago
Sonia calls for one-rank-one-pension: Six years ago
Press Statement issued by Shri Jaswant Singh Leader of the Opposition (Rajya Sabha)
Original copy of Shri Jaswant Singh's letter to the Raksha Mantri

IESL: Protest Rally and Fast for Justice at Jantar Mantar

ECHS and its present pitfalls

ECHS Noida
Our Babus have again taken the gullible Services hierarchy for a ride. Our serving soldiers who are ever so keen to do good for their respected Veterans have accepted in true military style to continue to look after us from within their own resources including their welfare funds. A recent report on Peripatetic Check and Review of the ECHS May-Aug 2008 has this amazing Finding:

“Xxxxxxxxx the clientele is very satisfied with the Scheme and considers it to be a boon from the Govt, which was long awaited. IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THE SCHEME WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL UNTIL THE THREE SERVICES HAD NOT SUPPORTED WITH THE FOLLOWING”: - (SIC)

Additional Medical Officers and Specialists from welfare funds.

Huge clinical manpower which includes both the serving doctors and hired manpower from Regimental funds.

Patient comfort by providing amenities from its regimental funds and creation of additional space at the Polyclinics.

Does all this sound even remotely like a sincere effort to reduce the load on the Services medical facilities? Just one small example of how expecting the Armed Forces to provide ECHS cover from within existing resources man power and funds affects the system will be enough. Currently, after a reimbursement bill has been passed the cheque has to be collected by the ESM personally from Station HQs Delhi Cantt. Reason: The Station HQs are not authorised funds and therefore service labels to stick on the envelopes forwarding the cheques to the individuals, which have to be sent through the mail.

Whereas we have generally got used to being taken for a ride by our worthy politicians and babus the question that needs an answer is- how was the existing structure of the ECHS conceived? It does not take a genius to comprehend that such multiple channels of command will be a non-starter. Is it any surprise that no matter how hard the MD ECHS tries he will not be able to push Station HQs Area HQS etc who neither report to him nor have dedicated staff for ECHS purposes. The MD ECHS and the Regional Centres lack authority for exercise of functional controls over the Polyclinics and also the Station HQS controlling the polyclinics. No wonder good hospitals refuse to waste their time chasing their claims and we are left with poor quality health care.

The Army has adequate experience in such Schemes in the shape of AGIF, AWES and AWHO. Though these schemes are pure Army schemes without Government resources did we need to make a hash of the Command and Control structure of the ECHS. Unified Command is a well-known and recognised tenet of management within the Armed forces. MD AGIF manages all AGIF functions, MD AWHO manages all AWHO functions, then why the mess in the ECHS. Is it any surprise that things are not settling down even five years after inception of the Scheme?

As I said at the beginning the purpose of the ECHS was to reduce the Ex Servicemen load on Services hospitals and resources. Somewhere along the line this main thought has been lost sight of and the ECHS has fallen prey to the standard “building of its own empire” syndrome. We therefore have a recommendation from the Review Committee, which states: -

Reduce referrals to civil empanelled facilities by augmenting Polyclinic/Service Hospital facilities by providing specialist cover within the authorised medical establishment
Improve the system of drugs procurement and management by improving the policy for drug procurements by DGAFMS and Polyclinics and by authorising contractual manpower for better drug management.

The ECHS in the absence of clarity of a strategic vision, which envisaged outsourcing of ESM patients to existing civil facilities, has embarked on a course of creating more polyclinics, more dependence on Armed Forces infrastructure and funds without insisting that the Govt ensure the desired standards. The report on Peripatetic Check and Review of The ECHS says it all in just one sentence “IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THE SCHEME WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL UNTIL THE THREE SERVICES HAD NOT SUPPORTED WITH THE FOLLOWING.”

This is the philosophy that has prompted the ECHS to propose a shift of the Noida Polyclinic from its present location to Sector 52 in land owned by the Coast Guard (Defence Land) so as to raise a more spacious Polyclinic. The comfort and convenience of ESM “Comes Last Always and Every Time”. I am strongly of the opinion that in Noida where there is such a large concentration of ESM the Arun Vihar RWA must get actively involved in all ECHS matters not as an authority but in a supportive role.

Improvement in the functioning of the ECHS is a continuing subject. This article is intended to make ESM aware so that they can demand what is justifiably theirs by right; and to make the ECHS more responsive to ESM requirements. To summarise what is required is as follows: -

Refer patients to empanelled hospitals of the patient’s choice anywhere in the NCR.

Permit empanelled hospitals to undertake “out patient” treatment in emergencies to be determined by the Dr at the empanelled hospital.

Appointments in RR to be arranged by the OIC Polyclinic. A methodology can quite easily be worked out.

After investigation reports to be collected by OIC Polyclinic from the RR.

All paperwork required after emergency “in patient” and “outpatient treatment” at empanelled hospitals to be handled between OIC Polyclinic and the empanelled hospital.

OIC Polyclinic should keep a track of all individual reimbursement claims generated after emergency treatment at non-empanelled facilities, which should be cleared at various levels in a set time frame. Presently the ESM has to do the chasing of the claim after it leaves the Polyclinic.

Reimbursement claims of individuals be sent to the Noida polyclinic from where they can be collected.

The Polyclinic must continue in Arun Vihar with the RWA getting more actively involved in its day-to-day problems without becoming a hindrance.

The Polyclinic should be the one point contact for ESM. There should be no need for him to contact anybody else in the ECHS chain.

Make arrangements despite staffing problems to ensure early clearance of pending bills of empanelled hospitals. This is the reason why all the good hospitals have delinked from the Scheme. An all out effort needs to be made to get the best hospitals on the ECHS panel.

Reference to empanelled hospitals should be the norm. More and more dependence on Army Hospitals is violative of the very basis on which the ECHS was created.

FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE REQURES A VERY SERIOUS RELOOK. UNITY OF COMMAND IS A MUST. THE PRESENT FRAGMENTED AND FRACTURED STRUCTURE WILL COLLAPSE. IT IS ALREADY BEING CORRUPTED SINCE ARMY PERSONNEL AT STATION– SUBAREA– AREA AND COMMAND HQS ARE NOW DEALING WITH CIVIL HOSPITALS AND NUMEROUS CIVIL AGENCIES FOR EMPANELLMENT/ PASSAGE OF BILLS/ PROCUREMENT OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND STORES ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. IN ANY CASE THEY ARE DOING ECHS WORK IN ADDITION TO THEIR OWN CHARTER WITHOUT ADDITIONAL MANPOWER AND WITHOUT ANY INCENTIVE. THE MD ECHS IS NOT IN THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND AND HAS NO CONTROL ON THEIR FUNCTIONING.

Brig SC Kuthiala (Retd)

Full article click:ECHS by Brig SC Kuthiala (RETD)

We thank Brig SC Kuthiala for his indepth analysis of the functioning of ECHS. He has amply described the mindset of bureaucrats who have taken the veterans for a royal ride. He has also given us valuable suggestions for improving the functional efficiency of the system. Kindly click the above link to read his full article as only extract has been posted here.

SCPC: War of Wages

Today, the governance in this country has gone to the abyss of incompetence where the bureaucracy is just serving its interests. The Sixth Pay Commission is just another example of the blatant exhibition of greed by the IAS lobby. But their game plan has been exposed this time. Now they are using the media to divert the attention of the government and the general public by raising the issue of the protests by the armed forces.

The strength of any organisation is judged by the morale of its men. While bureaucracy has become one of the most corrupt services in the country and the cause of all bad governance, the armed forces have epitomised what a true nation- building organisation should be. Unable to repair itself, the bureaucracy is now trying its best to bring down the morale of the armed forces by attacking at the "perceived" foundations of the Forces. They have degraded the armed forces status over the last few decades.

This time, their bluff has been caught and it is out in the public domain as to how the IAS lobby misguided even the Cabinet and the Defence Minister. The logic that the job profile of Lt Cols has changed over a period of time is nothing short of hilarious. Today, the IAS and IPS are even resorting to manipulating the appointment nomenclatures, deputations, and even grossly interfering in the functioning of so- called autonomous and Quasi- autonomous organisations by occupying slots and postings in them.

The armed forces have presented their reservations in the most dignified way while carrying out their duties diligently. The fact that enough merit was found in their demands to establish a "Group of Ministers" by the Prime Minister speaks volumes of the evil designs of some groups to demoralise the armed forces.

Veterans' Voice

In case, the government doesn't wish to pay the armed forces' officers their legitimate dues, why doesn't it allow them to leave the service? Time and again, it has ignored the just demands of the Forces at the behest of the bureaucracy. So, let the bureaucrats defend the country. Let the nation also know that whereas the defence officers are tested for their IQ, positive bent of mind (psychology tests), leadership traits, group activities at the entry level, our bureaucrats are coached and tested only for their retention (mugging) power. Therefore, in what way are we inferior to them? The performance of ex- army officers who joined the civil services and carved a niche for themselves is there for all to see. Why should a Jawan make the supreme sacrifice when the nation, instead of giving him dignity, grudges his mere existence and takes pride in belittling him at every opportunity?

Col Krishan Yadava (Retd)

Armed forces are the last hope for our country in order to thwart the growing terror, and the political, religious and regional divide. Be it external threats or internal law and order problems, the armed forces have always done their task most dutifully. Is this the way the government should act through its bureaucracy to push down the services', feigning ignorance? Let the last hope not be extinguished by being pushed to the wall.

Air Commodore Raghubir Singh (Retd)

More comments at:
The war of wages
SCPC: War of Wages

SCPC: IESM Fast for Justice, Tricity

Mohali, October 20 The ex-servicemen from Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula launched a protest against the ‘step-motherly’ treatment meted out to them by the successive governments at the Centre towards their long pending demands, in Mohali on Monday.
Under the banner of the Punjab chapter of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), around 150 ex-servicemen and four widows from the tricity gathered at YPS Chowk in Phase VIII, where a group of 11 ex-servicemen, headed by Brig (Retd) Harwant Singh, sat on a chain hunger strike from 9 am to 5 pm, said Lt Col (retd) Sadhu Singh Sohi, coordinator of the IESM.

The protesters raised slogans in favour of the three service chiefs and against the ‘indifferent’ policies of the government. The protest, which was the first step under the countrywide mass protest, remained peaceful.

Sohi said that from Tuesday, a group of five ex- servicemen will continue the hunger strike at Gurdwara Amb Sahib Chowk in Phase VIII. The strike will continue till Friday.

“If the Centre fails to fulfill our genuine demands by then, we will join the national protest at New Delhi,” he said. As part of the protest, the ex- servicemen will also observe Diwali on October 28 as ‘black day’, said Sohi. “Similar protests were held in 600 cities across the country, for the first time in the country’s history,” he added.

The IESM coordinator said: “The last three pay commissions have been extremely unfair to us and neglected our interests. With every war victory, we have been harmed and downgraded because none of our representatives were included in the Central Commissions.”

He added that soldiers were still deemed as unskilled workers and a Naib Subedar, who is a Class II officer, gets pension less than a civil peon.
Ex-servicemen protest against ‘govt apathy’

SCPC: Grievances of the Armed Forces and ESM

The problems facing ex- servicemen are also important, with Lt Gen Oberoi particularly perturbed that they were not given the same respect as they used to be at home. “Boys now wanting to join are deterred by the fact that these old and retired soldiers are living lives on the margin, with no one listening to them anymore. This was not so earlier, and ex- servicemen were a major source of motivation for new recruits,” he said. As a general said, “The problem is ab sunvai nahin hai. No one listens at any level to the Army.”

It is no one’s case that the defence services are exemplary and above criticism, as the officers were quick to point out. But such is the crisis that the entire military is now speaking in one voice, and the grievances accumulated over the years— and now assuming serious dimensions— are pouring out. Corruption has become a factor, particularly as most of the defence budget is being pumped into acquisitions. Vice Admiral Puri said that in the absence of a policy to make the armed forces self reliant in weaponry, “currently 30% of the defence budget is being spent abroad, soon 60% will be, and we can only be employed as agents”.

There is a quiet determination now at all levels in the defence services to ensure that the Government must meet the demands listed by the three chiefs. The decision by the top brass not to implement the Sixth Pay Commission sent a chill down the civilian spine. The bureaucrats scrambled for cover, planting stories in sections of the media to save their skin and cover the obvious manipulation of pay scales. Defence Minister Antony had one of two choices: sack the chiefs and further exacerbate the situation, or give cognizance to their demands and restore some confidence in the military. He has fortunately chosen the latter. It is now for the Government to ensure that the four basic demands are met, and the defence forces given respect not in rhetoric, but through action on the ground.

Covert Cover Story by Seema Mustafa
The Greap Sepoy Mutiny 2008

Retired defence personnel set for nationwide strike

A release on Sunday stated that the relay hunger strike will be carried out by representatives of the Indian Ex Service Men (IESM) movement.

The hunger strike would be carried out in over 500 districts of the country with massive participation from the states of Punjab, Haryana and the four southern states. In Delhi region it will be conducted at the India Gate lawns.

Earlier in a press conference here, defence service veterans had announced that if their demands are not accepted by the government they will proceed on a countrywide relay hunger strike from October 20.

"We are beginning the hunger strike to press for our genuine demands and this will intensify to a hunger strike till death. Barring the J&K and North eastern states we are conducting the movement everywhere," Vice Chairman of the IESM movement, Major General Satbir Singh told PTI.

Military veterans had demanded for sanctioning of 'one rank, one pension' for protecting the interest of older pensioners.

The Parliamentary standing committee on defence too had been recommending a similar structure for defence pensioners. Currently defence pensioners are receiving pensions based on cost calculation of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
Retired defence personnel set for nationwide strike

Ex- Servicemen Commission: Can it address ESM Grievances?

ESM Seeking Redressal
Cycle of Commissions: Hundreds Doing the Rounds
The government will soon set up an Ex-Servicemen Commission in order to streamline efforts to address the grievances of armed forces veterans and plan welfare schemes for them, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.

"After opening a new department in the Defence Ministry for ex-servicemen, the government is going to set up an Ex-Servicemen Commission soon to recommend various welfare schemes for them and their families," Antony said, soon after inaugurating a Sainik School at Thappa Gothra Khori village on 29 August 2008.
Govt to set up ex-servicemen commission soon: Antony
New department to look after ex-servicemen

Comments
Basically, Commissions are evolved by the bureaucracy to give another five year tenure to a retiring/ retired bureaucrat. In this case, a political person is also being given a position or being rehabilitated, perhaps for life. There is merit in the idea of a commission; it is the composition in the present form that veterans are opposing. Two examples that need to be mulled over by all.

Firstly, when the RTI organisation was formed, the bureaucrats grabbed all the appointments, both at the centre and state levels. There was not even one officer of the armed forces who was taken. Now, a few officers have been taken, maybe after Defence Forces woke up, but still not as the heads at centre or state levels. Therefore, the time to forward our just demands is now, not after the Commission is formed.

Secondly, there is an appointment under the aegis of the centre, known as 'Chairman - Rehabilitation Council of India'. It is an honorary appointment. The present incumbent is Maj Gen Ian Cardozo. About three years back, when his predecessor had completed his tenure, there was a move to appoint a political or a politically- sponsored person for the post. However, the various organisations and individuals dealing with disabled personnel agitated on the grounds that only a disabled person must occupy this slot. They succeeded and hence Ian was appointed.

For ensuring that the composition of the Veterans Commission should be as we the veterans want it, we need to aggressively plead the case with the Government against IAS bureaucrats being included in the Commission, as their aim would be to nullify "Redressal of Grievances of Armed Forces Personnel". The Bureaucrats have effectively sullied and nullified the RTI Act so much so, that the go slow ACT has put many proactive NGO's off into a spin and are seeking recourse in the courts!

We thank Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi (Retd) for the inputs. ESM and Veteran organisations need to get their ACT in the right perspective! Would the IESM Core Group kindly give due thought to the points raised. Can we expect the IESL to spearhead this noble cause?