From: raj kadyan rajkadyan@yahoo.com
Subject: ESM fast sitrep 12 Apr evening
Date: Sunday, 12 April, 2009, 10:11 PM
Dear Colleagues,
Maha Rally 12 April 09
The rally was held as scheduled. There was good attendance, estimated at nearly 8,000 ESM including families. The heterogeneous mix was a notable feature. States represented were – Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, UP, Uttarkhand, HP, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan. ESM belonging to different organisations had assembled. At the end, approximately 2000 medals were deposited with the President.
Highlight of the day was the issue of voting advisory that the ESM had been persistently demanding. In this connection following points were made:
1. Voting is a constitutional right and everyone is free to vote as per his/her choice.
2. Vote is an important weapon in our armoury and must be used with great care and thought.
3. We must follow the principle, ‘we will help those who help us’.
4. OROP being 25 years old problem, national political parties that held power during the period were recalled – Some 11 years Congress, 5 years UPA with Congress as a dominant party and some six years NDA with the BJP as the dominant party. Neither of them sanctioned OROP.
5. Current situation is that the Congress has rejected the OROP in Dec 2008 and have made no mention of it in their new election manifesto. On the contrary, the BJP has made a specific mention in their manifesto to say that the principle of one rank one pension will be implemented. In addition their Prime Ministerial candidate Mr LK Advani visited Jantar Mantar and made a categorical commitment to implement OROP. No one from the Congress has established any contact.
6. Based on the above analysis, it seems logical that keeping in the mind the interests of the over two million Ex Servicemen vis-à-vis OROP, BJP is a better choice.
7. It was reiterated that this is only an advisory and everyone has a right vote as he/she deems fit.
The message was generally well received.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM
