Col SR Choudhary (Retd)
During the last 35 years I, both as a serving soldier or veteran, have been fondly reciting the inspiring IMA credo:”The Safety, Honor and Welfare of Your Country Come First, Always and Every Time. The Honor, Welfare and Comfort of the Men you Command Come Next. Third, Your Own Ease, Comfort and Safety Come Last, Always.”
Despite being aghast at the treatment being meted out to the veterans by the Govts., all of us surely don’t regret having the above motto engraved deep in our heart once and forever, but I definitely wish that our political leadership too has some defined motto towards the nation and the soldiers who join the defense forces to protect the nation offering to lay down lives in pursuit of this inspiring objective.
The oath that our political masters take is forgotten while moving out of the portals of the venue of the oath ceremony itself. Obligation, if any, is lost sight off with their woeful conduct inside the citadel of the temple of democracy. We were both naive and wrong all these years seeing millions of army soldiers, being treated as expendables or cannon fodder who are thrown out once used. The soldiers thought that some grace would now be salvaged from the jaws of the indecisive past with the coming of Modi as PM. But it now appears that he only loves his own voice, meticulously designed catchy attire and promises which painfully he prefers to forget. He is found to preach more than what he practices and uses national platform and national purse enriched by poor tax payers, only to garner votes for his party.
The veterans of the defense forces are struggling for much deserved OROP (One Rank One Pension), which demand stood accepted by the PM himself and upheld by the apex court which held that its denial was discriminatory. Even the parliament committee has cleared
What for the soldiers live? Are they freely available stuff to fill body bags, to be pushed to handle every disaster, be it natural and manmade? When the administration fails or create uncontrollable situations due to the inefficiency of the political and bureaucratic class, the soldiers are remembered and called to help them. But when it comes to giving them the justice, the same class puts roadblocks to deprive them.
It is beyond our understanding that once the most outspoken PM has announced grant of OROP at national and defense fora, then who is stopping them from its implementation? Is it because our PM, FM, HM, RM or bureaucrats don’t have anyone wearing olive green from their families and are insulated from the pains and deprivation which the retired soldiers are being subjected to? Maybe, the sight of a coffin containing martyrs’ dead bodies is merely a dead load for them. But the load is too heavy for the affected family and orphaned children.
The argument of the FM that other too will demand OROP is not only ridiculous but also puts question mark on the bana fide of Modi Govt.’s commitment on OROP. The FM lacks honesty of purpose and basic knowledge about the issue. He must know that all other security forces retire at the age of 58-60 with continuous up-gradation of their pay and pension and would have earned approx Rs 60 lakh in these years. Over 88 % of army soldiers are made to leave the army at the prime age between 33-37 to fend for themselves. Besides, almost 92 % officers retire at 54 years. A disabled government servant is adjusted within the dept, which is so mercilessly denied to a soldier disabled while defending border. The genesis of the issue lies when in 1973, when the government mischievously increased civilian’s pension from 30 to 50 % and reduced the pension for the armed forces from existing 70 to 50 %. This marginalization continues till date, widening huge gaps in pension. A Major General, who retired 20 years back, gets pension less than a Major retiring today.
After repeated announcements by none other than Mr Modi, how implementation of OROP is struck up. Is Mr. Jaitley more powerful than Modi? Is it because Modi does not believe in walk the talk and instead allowed to be dictated, defied or ill advised by his advisors like Jaitley. May be, he is unaware what does soldiering mean to a nation. Blame lies on the much maligned bureaucracy partially as they have limited role if the PM means business. Whatever may be, it surely reflects loss of political and moral authority by the PM. In fact it appears that whatever Mr. Modi promises is merely an election ‘jumla’ and what he mentions in ‘Mann ki Baat’ reflects that either he is being untruthful or he never means anything. Both the scenarios are very dangerous with serious implications as no Indian would like a man after being voted to power heading a nation of 1.25 billion, infamous for false announcements.
India has just completed its 69th year of Independence: an occasion every Indian loves so much and the one (Independence) that is guaranteed only by soldiers defending borders and ready to lay down their lives. Seeing yet another bundle of very loud sound bites at the Red Fort , many of veterans must be regretting why did they ever take the call to wear army fatigue when no one cares for them. As if that was not enough, the very people who are considered as real protector of the nation when in uniform were perceived to be a threat to the function when off uniform and sitting peacefully at Jantar Mantar. Ironically they were deprived of the feeling of celebration, beaten, pushed, pulled and jostled around by khaki clad, ill trained and lathi wielding police, who also dismantled everything including the hard earned war medals. What a shame for the government and Delhi Police? Is this a Good Governance and Achhe Din. OROP or no OROP the soldiers will always keep pride of India and its tricolor atop everything else. Surely this bizarre police action has strengthened our resolve to take peaceful agitation to the logic end. I compliment Gen Satbir Singh and others for ensuring calmness by every veteran sitting at JM during police dadagiri. Veterans won’t fall into the trap of government by pushing OROP to the 7th pay commission or sugar and honey pills to push its decision beyond the results of elections due in few states.
While targeting political masters and bureaucracy for injustice, what about the President of India, the Supreme Commander of the defence forces? Doesn’t he have responsibility towards welfare of the security forces and freedom of expression to the soldiers? The three service chiefs too cannot be exonerated for their failure to own responsibility towards their ex colleagues. If they don’t, it will only reflect that they remembered the IMA credo only for their career evolution and post retirement comforts at the cost of their ex-colleagues. Not to mention about the likes of Maj Gen BC Khanduri and few other especially Gen VK Singh, who for reaching the pyramid and post retirement gains have maintained a stoic silence.
Army lives by its ethos, virtues and very strong fraternity bonding of retired and in-service soldiers. Everyone is watching with the bated breath the ill treatment and insult being meted out to the Veterans .What message the Government is sending to the people serving on the borders and cantonments? Is this the way we are going to encourage future generations of Indians to join the services knowing well that when they retire, they will be beaten by the police. Time has come to peacefully tell our political masters and the bureaucratic supporters that they cannot be allowed to be fattened themselves anymore and be the only beneficiaries of largesse they never work for. The Govt. pays higher pension to Joint Secretaries than Major-Generals, yet we are now quibbling about the cost.
There is an unwritten contract between the soldiering community and the people, represented by the government of the day. The soldiers are expected to walk into perilous and hazardous situations unhesitatingly at the cost of their lives and the government on the other hand is morally bound to take care of the widows and veterans. A nation which spent trillion of rupees for purchase of war machinery must not run away from disbursing meager Rs 8300 among the soldiers who used same machinery. Remember the OROP is not like bailout package given to hide the poor decision and inefficiency of banks and Indian airline. But if this country’s leadership fails the men and women in uniform/ off uniform, this critical and crucial failure will come and haunt the nation one day. While sitting in the cozy environs of Lutyen’s Delhi, don’t forget the soldiers in the bunker shelled at an altitude of 25000 feet with temp soaring as low as – 50. Remember a nation which cannot honor those who die for it, will certainly meet its doom some day. Mr. PM, it is pay time.
(Feedback shivchoudhary2@gmail.com).
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