EX-SERVICEMEN OBSERVE 15th AUGUST AS BLACK DAY

Ex-servicemen celebrates independence day with National flag at half mast

Ex-servicemen observe today on 15th Aug2015 as BLACK DAY in protest against the apathy of the govt towards the implementation of OROP for ARMED FORCES OF INDIA & protest against the police atrocities inflicted on un armed octogenerian Ex-servicemen sitting on the peaceful HUNGER STRIKE at JANTAR MANTAR on 14th August2015

Ex-Servicemen Demanding One Rank One Pension Resist Eviction

New Delhi:  In a drive to secure and sanitise the capital ahead of Independence Day, the police this morning began evicting various groups on protest at Jantar Mantar, the venue designated for protests in the heart of Delhi.
The biggest resistance has come from ex-servicemen who have been protesting here for the past two months, demanding one rank one pension from the NDA government.

A few of the 50-odd ex-servicemen, who were on a relay hunger strike at Jantar mantar and refused to leave, were seen being dragged and pushed. NDMC trucks were seen dismantling one of the tents put up by them.

The New Delhi Municipal Corporation, which is carrying out this operation, says they remove tents pitched in the area every year to clean and prep it. But this time around the timing had coincided with Independence Day preparations due to security concerns.

WHEN NATION CELEBARATES ITS INDIPENDENCE DAY SOLDIERS ARE ON 61th DAY OF HUNGER STRIKE AT JM FOR THEIR PENSION

Dear Veterans,
Today being the 60th day of huger strike.16 vets from JHAJJAR ( Haryana) were on HS. Number of audiences were also good from 1100 AM to 1800PM.
We five members delegation met with Mr Vijay Goyal MP BJP at 1600PM. 
Our members were :-
1. Maj GEN SATBIR SINGH
2. GP CAPT VK GANDHI
3. COL INDERJIT SINGH
4. Nb Sub GS SIDHU
5 Hon Lt K PANDEY
I think he was testing us,how much we tired of HS.He was saying pl call of HS.
Then said Govt ready to implement OROP taking base date 2006 and effective dateFor payment Apr 2015.
WE REJECTED ABOVE TWO POINTS STRAIGHT WAY.EVEN GEN SATBIR SAID 'SIR DONT WAST TIME' .
then Col INDERJIT S briefed very strongly.Hon min understood our points.
Then min said PM may agree ,pension of 2011 should b taken as base line and payment From April 2015.
WE REJECTED ,AND SAID NO COMPROMISE WITH DEFINITION WHICH TWO PARLIAMENT
HAVE PASSED .
All together, we understood these min playing bargain game.In the last We said sorry,Your offers not acceptable to us.Meeting lasted at 1700 pm. Nothing was the out put of this meeting.
 Best Regds.
G S SIDHU.
Gen Secy
AFVAI

EX-CHIEFS WRITE TO PRESIDENT

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE RASHTRAPATI H.E. SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE

 REGARDING VETERANS’ AGITATION AND OROP

Hon’ble Rashtrapati Ji,

1.    It is with a sense of deep anguish that we are writing to draw the attention of the Supreme Commander to the dismal spectacle of our Veteran soldiers, driven to undertake public protests and demonstrations to press their demand for the - long overdue - grant of ‘one-rank, one-pension’ or OROP. The campaign, which has included rallies, marches and relay hunger strikes, at Jantar Mantar as well as other locations country-wide, is about to enter its second month but the government seems to have taken no notice.

2.   We presume that you must have received adequate briefings on all aspects related to the issue of OROP and will not belabour it any further. However, we wish to focus attention on some issues that have grave implications for National Security, and merit your attention, not only as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces but also as the First Citizen of India.

3.   As you are aware, the Oath of Allegiance sworn by every soldier, sailor and airman ends with these words: "I will obey all commands of the President of India .....even to the peril of my life."  We are confident that as a small measure of reciprocity, the President of India would consider sparing a few moments of his time for those who have served their nation loyally and are now in the twilight years of their lives.

4.    Firstly, denial of OROP is merely the last straw that has exhausted the Veterans’ patience. It appears to be the culmination of a process by which successive Pay Commissions have been used to whittle down the financial and protocol status of the military over the years vis-à-vis their civilian counterparts. Since no rationale has ever been offered for this steady decline in status of the military, the obvious conclusion is that it has been orchestrated to prove that the key to 'civilian control' of the military lies in bringing it on par with the police and paramilitary forces, and making it subservient to the bureaucracy.

5.    The hostile approach of MoD bureaucracy was earlier demonstrated, in 2007-08, when the 6^th Pay Commission anomalies were required to be resolved. Their insensitive and antagonistic handling of problems related to pensions and allowances of aging veterans, war widows and battle-casualties led many to approach the courts. This not only created a deep civil-military divide but eventually forced a disciplined and politically-neutral segment of society into the jaws of party-politics.

6.    Secondly, there does not seem to be adequate realization that this development has the potential for inflicting long-term damage to India’s proud and a-political military ethos. No one in the political or bureaucratic establishments seems to have recognized that Veterans retain a strong umbilical connection with serving personnel because the two constitute one extended family. Whatever happens at Jantar Mantar is known to the men in uniform instantly, through print, electronic and social media. Of equal importance is the fact that anything which denigrates or humiliates the veteran also hurts the self-esteem of the serving soldier - because he sees himself as tomorrow's veteran. Thus, the recent developments have not only triggered a process of politicization of the Indian military, but also served to inflict grave damage on its morale and self-esteem.

7.  Thirdly, having agreed to the principle of OROP, successive governments have reneged or prevaricated when it came to its actual implementation. However, since no administration has deemed it appropriate to convey the actual reason for the interminable delays, there is a growing feeling in the rank and file that the senior armed forces leadership has not done enough to pursue their cause. An erosion of confidence such as this could inflict severe damage on the officer-jawan relationship. This is a sacred trust, built on a 350-year old tradition, which we will find very difficult to rebuild.

8.     The three factors listed above, have the potential to cause immense damage to India’s military edifice and hence, to our National Security. Soldiers, like flags and anthems, are emblematic of a nation’s pride and honor. The very fact that the nation’s military Veterans have had to take resort to agitational methods and that the government could tolerate their denigration or humiliation has come as a rude shock to all of us. This has also led to the erosion/lowering of our image in the international arena.

 9.   The unprecedented country-wide Veteran’s movement has, thus far, remained in accordance with the armed forces tradition - peaceful, disciplined and dignified. However, after two months of neglect by the government, intemperate and irresponsible voices are, increasingly, being heard, urging actions that would be entirely inappropriate and damaging to the Indian military ethos.

10.   In the daunting security scenario that prevails, our powerful military is expected to be at the peak of combat-readiness, with high morale and motivation, ready to react swiftly to orders of the political leadership to meet every national crisis. However, such a response may not be readily forthcoming from a military which suffers low self-esteem because its respected Veterans are seen to be ignored and humiliated by their own ‘sarkar’. Much of this can be attributed to a lack of ‘political will’.

11.   In view of the foregoing, we are of the view that urgent intervention of the Supreme Commander has now become inescapable in the larger national interest, and to ensure that the idea of ‘India First’ is not lost sight of.  Given the evolving situation, there is every possibility of the situation getting out of hand.

12. This appeal seeks your directives to the Government of India in order to implement two urgent decisions:

(a)   An invitation to the agitating Veteran’s associations to send representatives for discussions on the impediments facing implementation of OROP, and to work out mutually acceptable possible ways out of the present impasse.

         (b)  Subsequent to the above, a call to the Veterans for discontinuation of their   

         Country-wide agitation.             

  

         Sd/=                                       Sd/=                                                    Sd/=

(SF Rodrigues)                          (L Ramdas)                                        (Arun Prakash)

General (Retired)                       Admiral (Retired)                              Admiral (Retired)

           Sd/=

(Sureesh Mehta)

Admiral (Retired)                                                                                 

 

Gen Secretary GS Sidhu & TN Convener Mohanarangan along with Gen Satbir Singh in AFVAI Sponsored RHS at JM on 08/08/2015

NOTICE FOR AFVAI GENERAL BODY MEETING ON SUNDAY 06th SEP 2015

 Dear Members,

This is to notify you that General Body of AFVAI is scheduled to meet on 6-Sep-15 (Sunday) at New Delhi to discuss, inter-alia, its future course of action, substantiation of its office bearers, membership drive etc, by-laws etc. 

All members are therefore requested to attend it religiously. Kindly intimate your availability in advance so logistics can be arranged accordingly.

Kindly convey it to all other members also who wish to participate in strengthening the organisation

 Regards                                                        Regards                     

Ex-PO SK Singh                                 Ex-Nb Sub GS Sidhu

Chairman                                          Gen Secretary

AFVAI                                                AFVAI  

  

 

Our Gen Secretary & his team in RHS at JM on 57th day 10/08/2015