PROTEST MOVEMENT BY DEFENCE VETERANS, UPDATE AND WAY AHEAD

    Dear Veterans,

1.       Second Hearing in HSC against the NGT Order to lift Dharanas from Jantar Mantar has been fixed for 05 Mar 2018.  Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan is representing the case.  We are hopeful of some positive order from HSC.

2.       Third Hearing of our OROP Case in HSC has been tentatively fixed for 1^st week of Apr 2018.  We have made Prayers for the Implementation of Actual OROP and other related issues as under:-

· Declaring the letter dated 07.11.2015 bearing reference 12(1)/2014/D(Pen/Pol)-Part-II illegal, unconstitutional, and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution;

· Declaring  the Notification dated 14.12.2015 bearing reference No. 12(01)/2014-D(Pen/Pol)-Part-II issued by Respondent No. 1 illegal, unconstitutional, and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution;

· Declaring  the letter of Respondent No. 1 to the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff dated 03.02.2016 bearing reference 12(1)/2014/D(Pen/Policy)-Part- II illegal, unconstitutional, and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution;

·Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing that the pension of past pensioners be automatically and contemporaneously enhanced, whenever there is any future increase or enhancement in the rates of pension;

·Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing that errors in tables prepared by the Central Government indicating One Rank One Pension computation, wherein there are numerous instances of ex-servicemen who retired with senior rank and longer length of service being shown to be eligible for lesser pension that ex-servicemen who retired with junior rank, be corrected to ensure One Rank One Pension;

· Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing that fixation of pension must be on the basis of financial year 2014-2015 and not calendar year 2013;

·Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing payment of revised pension with effect from 01.04.2014 instead of 01.07.2014;

· Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing that Havildars who retired as Hon. Naib Subedar be given the pension of Naib Subedar;

· Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing that all soldiers who have been conferred an Honourary superior rank, whether before or after retirement, be given the pension relatable to such superior rank;

                                                          

·Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing that all ex-servicemen of the defence services be given benefit of full per-commissioning service period for pension calculation, regardless of their date of retirement;

· Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing that veterans who have retired as Major after 13 years of service be granted the pension of Lt. Colonel;

·Direction in the nature of mandamus to the Union of India directing that veterans who retired prior to 2004 as Lt. Colonel be given pension of Colonel;

· Pass any other or future order(s) as this Hon’ble Court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the present case.

· 7^th CPC  pensions need to be worked out afresh by multiplying the factor of 2.57 to    the Actual pensions as on 31 Dec 2015   and not the pensions of base year 2013.

· 33 years  rule  having been cancelled,  the pensions of Defence Personnel need to be  reworked afresh based on the rank and engagement period.

3.       Meeting of Defence Veterans alongwith the serving senior
 officers chaired by Dr. Subhash Ramrao Bhamre Raksha Rajya Mantri (Minister of State for Defence) held on 16 Feb 2018 which was well attended.  All Organisations gave out their issues.  I attended the meeting on behalf of IESM, and raised the following issues.

 (a)   Implementation of Actual One Rank One Pension (OROP).

(b)    Pensions of Defence Widows should be same as the ESM Pensions.

(c)    Pensions of Defence Reservists be enhanced to equivalent to pension of Sepoy.

(d)    Ensuring Second Career for the early Defence Retirees till the age of 60 years through the Act of Parliament.

(e)    Improvements in Medical care Scheme ECHS.  The medical procedures which have been introduced in the Country be on ECHS Procedure list within, six months of their being operational in India.

(f)     Dire need to have Veterans Hospitals on the line of other Democracies.

(g)    Need to enhance ECHS Budget to efficiently manage Super Specialty Care for the Defence Personnel and their dependents.

(h)    Need to have Covenant Act of Defence Forces on the lines of UK & other countries.

(j)    Need to expedite construction of Martyrs Memorial at India Gate.  Long delays have already been caused.

(k)    Need to enhance rates of Disability Pension for Defence Personnel.

4.       We are planing to hold a Maha Rally at Delhi in mid March or a week later to resume Relay Hunger Strike across the Country.  Date and time will be communicated shortly.  All ESM are requested to take part in  Mahar Rally at Delhi  and resume Relay Hunger Strike  with intensity at various locations in the Country.

5.       State Conveners and representatives at various locations are requested to hold Meetings, Seminars, Rallies regularly in the Country.  Feedback may please be forwarded to IESM HQ at 543 Sector 23, Gurgaon -122017 (Haryana).

6.       ESM residing in NCR are requested to come to  Jantar Mantar regularly, atleast once a week to strengthen the  Protest Movement.  The Govt continues to deny our due Justice.  Not only we are being denied our dues, we are continuously being Downgraded, Degraded, ill-treated and mistreated. Legal option which has already been exercised, will take lot of time therefore we need to continue our Protest Movement with strength and intensity.

7.       Governing Body Members responsible for various states are requested to constitute committees as under:-

(a) Block Level          -        3 members.

(b) District                -        5-7 members

(c)  Big Cities             -        5-7 members.

(d) State Level          -        9-11 members.

8.       Details of members of the Committee be forwarded to IESM HQ for formalization.  Membership Drive be carried out as an ongoing campaign on war footing.

9.       On 10^th March 2018, we will be completing 1000^th Day of our continuous Agitation at Jantar Mantar and at other locations across the Country.  All Members of the Defence Family residing in NCR and areas close by Delhi are requested to visit Jantar Mantar from 1230PM to 4PM to commemorate 1000^th Day of Protest Movement.  ESM at other locations are requested to assemble at their respective locations, schedule to be decided by local conveners and committees to commemorate 1000^th Day to strengthen, our resolve to get “Justice to Jawan”.

10.     Another important issue is health Care of ESM and members of their families.  We are in touch with the ECHS HQ for update and their assistance to resolve our problems and issues.  Requests, where Empanelled Hospitals deny admission in emergency situation are being attended to on priority.  We request that any such difficulty be brought to our Notice.  Col RP Chaturvedi, Mob No 9891279035 and email: rpchaturvedi@gmail.com ,is our Head ECHS.  We have also  asked the Govt to issue  instructions for all new  medical  procedures be brought on the ECHS  list within six months of their being operational in India.  Efforts are being made to improve the availability of medicines at ECHS Clinics.

11.     We are also keeping close liaison with Veterans Directorate at Delhi Cantt.  We have brought to their notice issues concerning ESM & their dependents.  Copies of our letters to MoD & PMO are regularly being sent to the three Chiefs for their info and action.  We will continue to raise issues with Govt through requests, representations, meetings etc.

12.     We will shortly be starting our Scheme of “Measures for the benefit of Armed Forces Veterans, War widows, their dependents and Veer Naries”.  Soldiers have given supreme, sacrifice for mother land but their families have not got the recognition by the Government which they deserved for the sacrifice given by their husbands.  IESM has been recognized in corporate sector as one of the pioneer organization which is spearheading welfare measures for veterans,  veernaries,  their families and citizen of India.  Corporate houses have started contributing funds reserved as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to IESM for the purpose. Recently, one corporate  has contributed Rs 25 lakhs and to start with IESM  has allotted another  Rs 25 lakhs to make corpus  fund of Rs 50 lakhs for the  purpose.  We hope this fund will increase every year.  We plan to given scholarships to the children of veernaries, veterans and their dependents at School, College and professional level.  We plan to given financial help to veernaries who wish to start their own cottage industry and financial help to old age homes/orphanages out of this fund.  The scheme will be upgraded as we go along.  Detailed SOP is being issued separately.

13.     Lastly, friends, we do need resources to continue our Agitation, May I request all numbers of the Defence Fraternity to contribute voluntarily for the cause.  Efforts be also made to approach corporates, organizations, individuals for their contribution for the cause.  

Yours Sincerely,

Maj Gen Satbir Singh, SM (Retd)
Advisor United Front of Ex Servicemen & Chairman IESM                                                                                          Mobile: 9312404269, Tel: 0124 4110570
Email: satbirsm@gmail.com