SORRY CAN NOT GET ARTICLE SCAN BIGGER THAN THIS
(NOT ENOUGH EXPRTISE)
Sir ,
Please refer articles "Insult to Nation" in Hitvada dated 14 Nov 15 and 20th Nov 15.
I feel you have done a great diservice to the Vetrans who have entered 180th day of their peaceful agitation for demending what is their RIGHT . You have presented only your view point to the vast number of your readers about how the vertans have insulted the Nation by returning the medals . By presenting only one side , your paper has been totally unfair . You have failed to inform the same readers the other side of the coin . You have failed to inform the readres the genesis and the raesons why the vetrans have resorted to the agitation and when all their hopes were dashed by 7th September announcement of totally diluted OROP by the DM Mr Parrikar , as a last desperate measure , resorted to returning the medals . Some misguided Veterans did try to burn the medals , in my personal openion I also I feel that it was a wrong thing to do . Here it must be pointed out that they were prevented by doing so by none other than the fellow Veterans themselves.
If you really want to follow the moral and ethical values of highest traditions of journalism of unbiased reporting , please publish the case , the reasons and the genesis of this agitation from the point of view of the Veterans as well. Once you have published unbiased view of both sides of the coin , give unbiased openion and let the readres decide for themselves whether the agitatiaional methods followed by the veterans are wrong and are an insult to the Nation . If you really want to do that please publish my articles submitted to you on 30 September 2015 , 06 October 2015 and 14 November 2015 .
In your article you seem to agree that the service conditions of serving personnel are very very difficult , hazardous and quite often life threating where mere survival becomes difficult. You also concede that ,
quote " the Medals have gone to such men who are as tall as Himalayas . Medals have gone to Sea and Air warriors at all levels of ot the chain of Command who have defied all rules of logic and logistics to defend the Nation " un quote .
In this article you have put forward the view that the madals were presented by the nation and not by the Government . You have not mentiones a single word about the widows and the children of these brave warriors whose only means of sustainance and survival is the pension of their dead husbands.
At this moment I will concede your statement but will take up the matter about THE NATION towards the end .
Kartik Lokhande is all praise for 13 Kumaon in the battle of Rozaga Law . He has rightly brought out moving story of great valour and courage displayed by jawans of the 13 Kumaon Company and Maj Shaitan Singh . They fought till the last man and last round and sacrificed their lives for the country. I do not know his source but He mentions the strength of 13 Kumaon as 114 and also mentions awards of one PVC , six VrCs and SM to brave jawans of 13 Kumaon Company . Here I would like to correct his information and put the record straight and give correct information . My source is Bharat Rakshak , the most authentic web site on mattrs of Defence Foeces . Here is the link to the referred info . 13 Kumaon Company constited of 7th , 8th and 9th Platoons manned by Ahirs belonging to southern Harayana . Their strength was 124 including Jawans , JCOs , Officers and not 114 as mentioned . 114 of these were killed remaining 10 were so severely wounded that they were unable to do any thing at all .They were taken prisoners . It was a miracle that they not only survived but some escaped and returned to their parent Regiment . The correct figur of awards For this supreme sacrifice and displaying exterme courage , is given here : the company was awarded one PVC . 8 VrCs , 4 SMs and one M-I-D ( Mention - In - Dispatches),total of 14 awards . In this article Kartik Lokhande has also put forward the view that the medals were presented by the nation . Mr Lokhande forgets that only 14 medals were presented . 100 other who also sacrificed their lives were not given any awards , did the Nation thinks that they were less brave than the others who got medals. Why were they not also given awards by the same Nation which now feels insulted . Mr Lokhande has praised Maj Shaitan Singh to high heavens . Did he ever trieded to find out whatever happened the wife of Indian Army's iconic war hero of Rezang La Major Shaitan Singh . Did the Nation which now feels insulted ever knew whatever happened to Shagun Kanwar,the widow who lived with her son Mr Narpat Singh in the village named after his father , "Shaitan Singh Village" in Tehsil Falodi in Judhpur Diatrict . On 17 April 2015 She died at the age of 86. There was hardly any coverage in the media . The funeral was not attended by a single politician, and alsost nil maedia persons . HERE is the link about her death & Funeral .
Did the Nation which now , as per the scribes , feels insulted and did Mr Phansikar , Editor of The Hitavada and Mr Lokhande who now accuse the Veterans of insulting the Nation know that " the widow of one of India’s greatest war heroes makes do with a measly pension of about Rs 5,000, far less than what the spouse of a war hero decorated with PVC is entitled to. For the last 15 years, she has remained stuck in the fourth pay commission scales of 1986, drawing less than what a junior commissioned officer of the Indian Army draws today. " HERE is a link to this item .
Did the Nation and these scribes spare and ever gave a thought as to how a widow , who was just 33 years old ( Maj Shaitan Sing was just 37 years old at the battle in 1962 ) with a child in survived and susteined herself and her child . How she raised and educated her child . Has this Nation any right to be offended and these scribe have any right to say that the Nation is insulted because of the actions of Veterans in demanding OROP which is their RIGHT.
If the condition of the widow of one of India’s greatest war heroes suffered this fate just imagine what must be happening to the widows of the 100 brave souls of the same battle who also sacrificed their lives. Does the Nation which now as , Mr Phansikar & Mr Lokhande claim has been insulted shed a tear or feel sorry for the plight of all those widows and their children of wars of 1962 , 1965 , 1971 and 1999 Kargil Operations who were decorated and all those who also sacrificed their but not even remembered by the Nation the so called scribes who now feel that the veterans have insulted the Nation .
The Hitavada Editorial Staff has put forward their views . I would like your and the readers indulgence and to put forward Veterans point of view .
1. From 1947 till 1973 for 26 years after Independence , Defence personnel were getting One Rank One Oension . In 1973 without assigning reasons the Government took a arbitrary decision and stopped the OROP . There were no agitations or protests from Veterans.We would like to know why the " NATION " did not question the Government as to why this injustice was done to the Defence personnel . I do not recollect the media also reising this issue and questioning the Government.
2. Considering the early retiring of majority of fighting troops , Defence Personnel were grated pension which was 70% to 75% of their basic pay , counter parts in civil were given pension which was 30 % of their basic Pay . 3rd Central Pay Commission ( CPC ) constitued in 1973 arbitraily reduced the pension of Defence Personnel to 50 % and in increased the pension of Civil counterparts also to 50% . There were no agitations or protests from Veterans .We would like to know why the " NATION " did not question the Government as to why this injustice was done to the Defence personnel . I do not recollect the media also reising this issue and questioning the Government .
3. In 4th CPC Defence Personnel were granted Rank Pay . Some burocrate in the chain of issuing orders inserted a new coloumn in the pay slip in credit coloumn for rank Pay but at the same time same amount was deducted from the basic pay . effectively reducing the basic pay by the amount of Rank Pay . There were no agitations or protests from Veterans or the serving personnel .We would like to know why the " NATION " did not question the Government as to why this injustice was done to the Defence personnel . I do not recollect the media also reising this issue . One Major Dhanapalan after his retirement filed a case against this skulduggery . Burocrates in Ministry of Defence dragged the case for years and up to the SC of India . Finally Major Dhanapalan won the case and SC ordered the Govt to rework all the entilements and pay the aggrived Officer arrears of pay . When other personnel demanded pay arrears . they were flately refused saying SC orders were for one individual . Once again the defence personnel had to fight prolonged leagle battle . Again SC ruled that ALL entitled persons should be paid the arrears . To the best of public knowledge no action was ever taken against the concerned burocrate who had deprived the defence personnel of their rightful entitlement . There were no agitations or protests from Veterans.We would like to know why the " NATION " did not question the Government as to why this injustice was done to the Defence personnel . I do not recollect the media also reising this issue .
To cut a long story short I will jump to the year 1981 and give a tabulated history of the OROP problem . (Reproduced with thanks from forwarded mail from my friend .)
1981 : Estimates Committee reised the isue of dispatity in pension and made an appeal to the Government impliment back the OROP .
1986 : 4th CPC . Government rejected the OROP.
1996 : 5th CPC . Government once again rejected the OROP.
2006 : 6th CPC . Government once again , for the third time rejectes the OROP. On the grounds that OROP Implimentation will prompt similar demends from Civil Pensioners.
2008 : For the first time in the history of free India , Veterans went on indefinite hunger strike and and surrendered their medals and awards. The Government did not take any action.
2008 : The Supreme Court Orders the Government to implement OROP in
the Armed Forces.
2008 : Veterans withdraw their hunger strike .
2009 : Delegation of Veterans went to meet President Prathibha Patil , the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces , who bluntly refused to address the issue or to my knowledge , even meet the delegation.
2010 : The OROP issue was referred to Rajya Sabha Committee by K Sanjay Prabhu , of Bangaluru.
2011 : Koshyari Committee a ten members of sitting MPs fo Parliament was formed the express mendate to the committe was to review the OROP issue and make recommendations . The Koshyari Parliamentry Committee recommended to the Government to implement OROP to Defence Forces for the greater good of the Nation. The report was
accepted in toto by the Parliament first when the UPA Gonernment was in power and later when BJP Government was in power.
2012 : UPA Government allocated ₹2300 crores for OROP but never implimented OROP .
2013 : At the zenith of hs popularity along the masses , Narendra Modi promised OROP to Ex Servicemen at a massive election rally at Rewari in Haryana.
2014 : Intimidated by the rising popularity of Modi , UPA Govertment announces implimentation of OROP from April 2014 . Allocates ₹ 500 crores in the budget .
2014 : BJP wins massive victory .Modi becomes PM of India.
2014 : The DM, Mr. Parrikar reassured the Ex Servicemen that OROP will be implemented after the budget announcement.
2015 : February . The FM , Mr. Jetaly announced the budget . No provison for OROP was made in the budget so again OROP was not implemented .
From 1948 till June 2015 despite of repeated assurances by two Parliaments , assurances of the PM and the DM OROP was never implemented .
There is a limit to the patience of any human being . So finally ,
2015 : June . Start of indifinate " Hunger Strike by Ex Servicemen at Jantarmantar.
2015 : September . The DM , Mr Parrikar announced much awaited OROP for implimentation wef 1.1 2014. But there were few cavets which were bone of contention .
In desperation and as a last resort the Vetrans decide to return the madals , hoping that the Government and the Madia will respond positively to this last desperate measure.There hopes were dashed .
When all this time , for 42 long years , the promises were repeatedly broken and the rightful demand of the veterans was not accepted , the Nation which now feels insulted and the scribes who claim that the nation was insulted stood by and mutely observed the bad deal being given and injustice being done to Defence forces.Why did they not take the Government to task , why did they not take the Politicians and the Burocrates to the task on behalf of the Defence Forces .
Why did not they raise their voice against the Government the Politicians and the Burocrates for this raw deal being mated to the Services .
Mr phanshikar says "each mdal is the honour of the Nation , not the Government , bestowed uopn them ." We veterans would like to represent to the NATION the injustice being done to the Services and the veterans . Will the scribes of the Media tell us , the veterans , where and how we can approach and meet this NATION . We the vererans would surely like to meet the Nation and apologise and explain our side to the Nation if it feels insulted , we can do that only if the scribes of the media will let us know where and how we can meet this "insulted" Nation .
In fact it is the veterans who feel insulted by the so calld Nation and the Media . In the final analysis the Defence Forces will fullfil all their obligations no matter what , but it is the integrety and the soveraignity of the Nation and the People of India which will be the final losers with such treatment of the Services .
Yurs Sincerely ,
Group Captain PM Velankar VM , Veteran.
