MEMORANDUM TO THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA BY IESM

MEMORANDUM TO THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA BY IESM


Respected Madam President.

We the ex-servicemen are approaching you, The Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, with a very heavy heart that we have given our blood and lives on your order and that to without questioning and without even thinking about our families and their welfare. The ex-servicemen have been agitating for their demand of One Rank One Pension for a very long time. There is tremendous resentment amongst the EX-SERVICEMEN in the Country, on account of their pain & anguish brought about by years of neglect & apathy by the Govt. of India, in not addressing the various issues relating to their pension & resettlement.

In order to draw the attention of the Govt. of India for the amelioration of their problems relating to pension & resettlement; Ex-Servicemen in large numbers, led by retired Generals, Admirals and Air Marshals took part, in the following events all over the Country, viz.

a) A silent Memorial Service paying Homage to Martyrs at War Memorials, on Sunday, 27 April 2008;

b) A token one day FAST FOR JUSTICE on Tuesday, 27 May 2008;

c) A MARCH FOR JUSTICE on Sunday, 06 July 2008.

d) A token one day FAST FOR JUSTICE on Monday, 20 Oct 2008;

e) A relay FAST FOR JUSTICE at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, commencing on 16 Dec 2008 for 45 days.

f) Depositing of Medals with the President of India on five occasions viz 08 Feb 2009, 14 March 09, 12 April 09, 13 Sep 09 and 29 Oct 09; and till date over 22,000 Medals have been returned & deposited in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.


A gallantry medal of a soldier is his most cherished achievement which he wishes to be put on his chest even on his death. To part with a gallantry medal is like parting with one-self, but we are forced to part with our gallantry medals as all our efforts to get justice have fallen on deaf ears or are buried in bureaucratic procedures.

Military Service is UNIQUE, with a highly demanding 24 by 7 work culture under hostile environments; and secondly. A soldier is forced to retire from service around 40 yrs of age while a civil employee retires at 60 years of age. A soldier gets benefit of only one/two pay commissions in 20 yrs of service whereas a civil employee gets enhancement in his pay through four pay commissions in 40 yrs of service. Hence a soldier is at disadvantage viz a viz a civilian.

Let us take an example of military vs. police service. Two men of same age and education join army and police respectively. Soldier retires at 40yrs and policeman retires at 60yrs of age. If they both are living today at the age of 75 years, then the Sepoy would earn Rs 47 lacs less than the constable. The difference for a Naik/Head constable is 39 lacs. For Havildar/ASI it is 29 lacs. It carries on similarly. For a Sub Major/DSP it is 15 lacs. This is very demoralizing a soldier.

In military service a person holding a senior rank is always respected while in service and after retirement. Today the situation has become so bad that a sepoy gets more pension than a havildar who had retired say 10 years back. Recently retired Maj Gen had approached the courts as their pension was fixed less than Brigadiers. They have won the case in the courts and Govt is forced to increase their pension under the order of Supreme Court.

One Rank One Pension (OROP) is the only solution for the ex-servicemen. This means same pension for equal rank and equal length of service irrespective of their date of retirement for all ex-servicemen. At present all MsP, MsLA, Judges and 95% of bureaucrats of secretary level and only 1% of army officers of General rank are entitled for OROP. Refusal to grant OROP to the rest of ex-servicemen is gross injustice to the loyal defense forces of India

We have given our blood for the country happily but are very sad today that we have to sign this memorandum with our blood because all our efforts to draw your attention have failed. All ex-servicemen of India therefore urge the Supreme Commander to grant ONE RANK ONE PENSION for the ex-servicemen at the earliest.

BLOOD TO BE GIVEN FOR THE SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY IS BEING WASTED ON A PAPER BECAUSE OF APATHY AND NEGLECT OF EX-SERVICEMEN CONDITION BY THE GOVERNMENT. WE THE EX-SERVICEMEN ASSURE YOU THAT IF THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR US GIVE OUR BLOOD AND LIFE TO SAVE THE HONOUR OF THE MOTHER INDIA, WE WOULD NOT HESITATE AND HAPPILY COME FORWARD AND GIVE OUR LIFE.

We request you the President of India that our demands be considered and approved without any delay.



PRESS RELEASE

SUPREME COMMANDER HAS NO TIME TO RECEIVE THE MEDALS DEPOSITED BY HER OLD SOLDIERS
HER STAFF ACCEPTS MEMORANDUM SIGNED IN BLOOD BY 6000 EX-SERVICEMEN

Dated: 14 Mar 2010

Dear Member of the Media,

1. The Supreme Commander of Armed Forces today did not come to receive medals at Rastarpati Bhawan being deposited by military pensioners to press their demand of One Rank One Pension (OROP). Medal Deposit Rally was organized for the Seventh time at Jantar-Mantar New Delhi today where, 2000 defence pensioners including widows had come from all States of the Country to deposit their medals and sign Memorandum to the President in Blood.

2. The Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) Lt General Raj Kadyan had earlier requested the Supreme Commander to kindly make it convenient to receive the medals from military pensioners herself. All veterans in the Rally unanimously decided to bring back the medals if her Excellency the President did not receive the medals herself. With a heavy heart the Ex Servicemen did not handover the medals when they found the Supreme Commander did not come to receive their medals herself. They however deposited the memorandum signed in Blood by 6000 of Ex-Servicemen from all parts of Country with the staff of the President.

3. Ex-Servicemen hope that the Govt will seriously consider their demand and will grant OROP at the earliest. If Govt does not sanction their demand of OROP, all ESM have decided to intensify the Movement. They have resolved to continue the movement in a lawful and disciplined manner as hare-to-fore.

Jai Hind

With Kind Regards,

Yours Sincerely,

Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM