Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
The All India ESM Rally, organised by IESM, was held as per schedule, today – 28 Nov 10, from 10.00 AM to 2.00 PM, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. The rally was a grand success.
Many ESM organisations, from many states attended the rally. Besides NCR, the states represented were- Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Individuals from many other states were also present.
Highlights
•Total attendance around- 5000.
•Total number of ladies, including very large number of widows who were present at the rally- 200
•New veterans who signed the memorandum going to The President in blood- 1440.
•New medals collected- 5000.
•Medals collected earlier, sent to President but brought back as The President did not receive personally- 6000.
•Total medals sent for being deposited to The President on 28 Nov 10- 11000.
(Medals already deposited with the President 22,000)
•Veterans who went to The Rashtrapati Bhawan for depositing medals and the memorandum- 10.
•Veterans who gave a talk at the rally Chairman, Vice Chairman IESM and others- 35
•Maj Gen AJB Jaini, very efficiently managed the time
•TV satellite links deployed by media to cover the rally
•Media reporters and cameraman at rally site around- 20
•On scheduled time 10 veterans, from all three services and all ranks, in a police vehicle, left for the Rashtrapati Bhawan, for depositing the medals and the memorandum.
What happened at Rashtrapati Bhawan
1. Three months ago, by a formal letter, Chairman IESM had informed The President of India, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, that military veterans will be depositing medals on 28 Nov 10. A few days ago, The President proceeded on a foreign tour, without her staff having the courtesy to inform the IESM about her tour.
2. On being informed by the staff that The President cannot receive the medals as she is out on a foreign tour, the veterans’ team decided not to deposit the medals with the staff.
3. The veteran team then handed over a copy of the memorandum and the sheets having the signatures in blood of 1440 veterans.
4. The President’s staff accepted the memorandum but, refused to handle the sheets having signatures in blood. The staff said that the medical authorities had advised them not accept the sheets containing signatures in blood.
5. The veterans’ team, returned to Jantar Mantar with the medals and the sheets containing the signatures in blood.
6. A copy of the memorandum to The President is appended below.
7. The photographs taken at the rally are being processed and shall be placed on the three weblogs mentioned above in the header of this email.
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj
Rally Photographs: Click here for the slideshow
A MEMORANDUM FROM THE EX-SERVICEMEN OF INDIA TO SHRIMATI PRATIBHA DEVI SINGH PATIL, THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA AND THE SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES
To,
Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh Patil,
Her Excellency, the President of India
and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
New Delhi - 110011
EX-SERVICEMEN OF INDIA SEEK JUSTICE WITH REGARD TO PENSION
AND RESETTLEMENT
Your Excellency,
1. With extreme anguish, we the former soldiers of India express our deeply hurt feelings to our Supreme Commander on the indifferent attitude of the Government towards our genuine demands.
2. After exhausting all other options, we the Ex Servicemen were forced to take to airing our demands in public. Our main demand is 'one rank one pension' implying equal remuneration for equal work. The demand is for justice and not for money per se. unfortunately, the government continues to ignore this demand. They have yet again rejected this demand that had been supported by the All Party Standing Committee on Defence in their report tabled in the Lok Sabha on 07 May 2010. The existing situation, where a pre-2006 pensioner gets less pension than their juniors who retired after 1.1.2006, is highly anomalous and the veterans cannot reconcile to it.
3. The government also continues to contest in the courts every legal decision that goes in favour of the Ex Servicemen. It is pertinent to mention that Armed Forces Tribunal had in the last one year decided around 4000 cases of armed forces personnel. Nearly 90 percent of these cases were in favour of the Ex Servicemen and were against the authorities, but the MoD is not complying with the tribunal's orders. This has been stated by head of the country's highest military tribunal, Justice (Retd) A K Mathur recently. It is beyond one's comprehension as to why the Government is not giving their due to its veterans, who have devoted their all and have demonstrated their patriotism, bravery, valour and courage and have in great measure assisted the country in strengthening its sovereignty and integrity?
4. In order to arouse the conscience of the countrymen the Ex Servicemen have also had to resort to depositing their medals. This serious development could have far-reaching consequences. For a soldier to part with his medals that he has won at great risk to his life and limb, is a tough decision and is reflective of his extreme disenchantment with the government's obduracy.
5. Ironically, the Service widows were kept out of the purview of government orders dated 8 March 2010, where the pension of junior commissioned officers and other ranks were enhanced. When this was pointed out in a letter to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, the government's reply was that the enhancement for widows had not been recommended by the Cabinet Secretary's committee that was constituted in the wake of widespread disenchantment with the Sixth Pay Commission. This was a strange response where the government has claimed to be bound by the dictate of a subordinate committee that the government itself had constituted. Whether it is a mere excuse to deny the Service widows their genuine dues, or whether this is an admission of the tail wagging the tiger, it makes strange and sad commentary.
6. Under the circumstances, the Ex Servicemen have no choice but to continue with their struggle for justice.
With best regards,
Jai Hind
Yours sincerely,
Sd xxx
Lt Gen (Retd) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman Indian ESM Movement
Sd xxx
Maj Gen Satbir Singh
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement
