MUSINGS OF A GREAT VETERAN INVITED TO REPRESENT HIS ILK BEFORE THE RM's DARBAR -

THE LIMIT OF DISSERVICE

Lt Gen Satish Bahri has circulated the following details, (With my comments juxtaposed in red), of what transpired at the last meeting of the veterans with the so called sympathetic RM :

RM started by saying that Rs 2000 crs had been distributed as arrears and pensions under OROP till date and the balance will be completed by 20 Mar 16. 

Well,  Mar, '16 has come and gone, but I, (And I am sure many like myself), are yet to receive the arrears. So much for the continued false promises of the Govt, especially this RM, which is its hall mark.

Then he asked if there were any questions on OROP. A number of people like Col Arasu, Maj Gen NB Singh, Col Nain etc put up points. RM directed that now that the one man Judicial Committee has been setup all issues be referred to it. He pointedly said that if you send your points through DESW, to mark copies to him so that he can follow them up. He also said that if some one desires he can request for personal attendance to argue his point. Gen VK Singh further clarified it will be ensured all issues raised are dealt with sympathetically. Well, then again, it is typical of this Govt to continue its effort to hood wink, not just the simple soldier, but the entire Nation. Teh RM first asks the veterans, "Have you any questions on OROP, and then in the same breath, say, "Raise all issues on OROP with the one man judicial commission". Great!!! 

Is Gen V K Singh the one man  judicial commission? Since obviously he is not, who is he to assure the veterans, (On behalf of the Commission), "It will be ensured that all issues will be dealt with sympathetically"? Is he or the Govt directing the Commission on what to do?

Lastly, Maj Gen Satbir Singh raised the issue that four issues are outstanding regarding OROP, which have a total cost of approx Rs 800 crs only. The RM was quick to respond that money is not the problem but if you hold a gun to his head and demand then the govt is not going to accede to any request. He clarified that our continued fast at Jantar Mantar is putting up the back of the govt and it will not listen to anything under duress. He also clarified  regarding the claim by Satbir that Parliament has accepted the Koshiyari Committee report twice is incorrect. RM said that many committee reports are received by the govt and they are never accepted in 'toto', as it is the decision of the govt as to what it can and what it cannot. (I have seen it myself after being involved in the passage of Real Estate Regulation Act . The govt accepted/rejected some of the recommendations and improved on some). 

The RM says, "If you hold a gun to its head and demand, then the Govt is not going to accede to any request". 

Great! The Govt, through the RM has made a few things clear to the Nation: 

(a)    No one in this largest democracy in the World, has a right to protest or agitate, even 

         peacefully and in a highly disciplined manner. To do so would not only debar the 

         person or group of people from receiving any justice, even rightful ones, from the Govt, 

         but also make the person or group of people subject to highhanded illegality 

         harassment and debasement at the hands of the Police.

(b)   Any one wishing/hoping to have their rights given to them, must go begging to the 

         Govt on bended knees, crawl before them and say, "Yes Sir, no Sir, three bags full Sir; I 

         am your humble and loyal servant; I beg of you to please oblige me."

Towards the end I raised the issue of Wg Cdr C K Sharma that he had been arrested and bodily removed by Haryana police even though they did not produce an arrest warrant. R M said that Haryana police is a law unto itself and passed some uncomplimentary remarks about it. However, he also seemed to have noticed, as I had written to him, that policemen and CAPFs are wearing disruptive pattern clothing and consequently army flag columns had to carry placards to identify themselves. He said that he had spoken and written to the HM to stop this practice. 

Under whose govt is the Haryana Police operating? One thing must be said of this Govt, "They are quick on the uptake". They learnt their lessons at JM, where they tried to dislodge the veterans in broad day light, in full view of the whole Nation and had to quickly step back. 

This time around, the Police went at the dead of night and yanked the sleeping soldier of the Indian Army, (The bravest of all in the 'Race'), from his bed and dragged him in his pyjamas to the police lock-up, most illegally, without any warrant.

As the RM, he is supposed to look after the welfare of all soldiers, including the veterans. What action did he take to have the Haryana Police charged for their illegal act upon a soldier on his charge? Should this act too not have been taken as an act of 'SEDITION'?

I have received a number of queries as to what had happened during the meeting even though IESM had omitted my presence, senior most retired officer, in their communications on this meeting, people somehow were aware that I too was invited. Mr R Chandrashekar or Gen VK had also brought out that due to the continued fast at JM we are losing sympathy of general public. I am also called by number of officers, JCOs and OR that why are we continuing at JM after achieving so much and why don't we negotiate amicably with the govt. Hope some one listens as I have tried my best.

Well, well well, Satish Sir, as the senior most veteran, (The claim is debatable as many a chief are still alive and kicking), you did your comrades-in-arms (veteran soldiers), a great service by concurring with the Govt that the activities at JM are illegitimate and amounts to holding a gun on the Govt's head. We would have appreciated if you had to protest even politely. In fact it is the Govt which is repeatedly holding the gun of 'anti-nationalism' and the 'charge of sedition' on the head of each and every one who protests against it, even when it is for non-grant of rightful entitlements.

Where do we go from here? Is this the fate of all peacefully disciplined agitations as against the violent one recently seen in Haryana, where the Govt first abdicated all its responsibilities and then catapulted in quick time? 

Do we need to review our modus-operandi?