Re: [IAC#RG] I DON'T WANT TO GO TO JANTAR MANTAR

Indications are that the piece was actually written by "Sareshth Kumar"
https://www.facebook.com/sareshth.kumar.3

On 10/1/15, Randhir Sethi <shebon@gmail.com> wrote:
> What Dilip Fulay has written is like a poem straight from his heart ,
> except for the fact that the heart bleeds owing to the INJUSTICE being
> meted out not only to the Veterans , but the Defence Forces at large.
>
> The truth shall prevail .
>
> R S Sethi
>
> On Thursday, October 1, 2015, Shanti Bhushan <shantibhush@gmail.com
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','shantibhush@gmail.com');>> wrote:
>
>> Extremely well written.
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>> On 30-Sep-2015, at 4:03 pm, Dilip Fulay <fulays@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> > I DON'T WANT TO GO TO JANTAR MANTAR
>> >
>> > When I was commissioned and got my wings in December 1970, I was told
>> that the officers do not discuss two things- politics and pay.
>> > To discuss ither was considered bad manners.
>> > I did not.
>> > By the 25th of every month, my pay used to be over and I would somehow
>> survive till the first of the next month.
>> > I still considered myself to be rich.
>> >
>> > I did not pay attention, when in 1973 the pension of the armed forces
>> was reduced from 70% to 50%.
>> > I did not know that the pension of the civilians was increased from 30
>> > %
>> to 50 %!
>> > I did not even know that it was the IAS which was formulating all these
>> rules.
>> > The thought that it was done after the armed forces had won the 1971
>> > war
>> never occurred to me.
>> > The thought that it was done after Gen. Manekshaw, as popular as Indira
>> Gandhi in those days, had retired never occurred to me.
>> > I never knew that as compensation, a bait- OROP had been dangled for
>> > the
>> armed forces.
>> >
>> > I was not supposed to think money-I did not.
>> > I enjoyed the challenge posed by my beautiful love – The
>> Seahawk—referred to as 'Flying Coffin' by some ill informed guys.
>> > Along the way, I lost some friends in air crashes
>> > It was part of the game. Money had nothing to do with it.
>> >
>> > I heard about the sailors sharing houses two/three families to a house.
>> > I heard about the waiting list for accommodation being one year plus
>> everywhere.
>> > I did not pay attention.
>> > There were the three service chiefs and a host of senior officers out
>> there to ensure that all my problems would be well looked into!
>> > I was happy doing my job.
>> > Life on board the submarines was tough, but we had tough guys to take
>> > it
>> on.
>> >
>> > Sailing on small ships, big ships, aircraft carrier, temporary duties
>> > at
>> short notice, no reservation in the trains-yet you manage to reach for
>> your
>> duty on time, no accommodation in the messes/ships-all these were part of
>> life.
>> > Manage what you can. Crib about the rest if wish to. But get the work
>> done! That was the motto.
>> > Life went on.
>> > I was happy in the service.
>> >
>> > One day I took premature retirement because I had reached the level of
>> my inefficiency.
>> > The navy gracefully gave me fair amount of money.
>> > And I was entitled to pension-for life.
>> > The pension was sufficient for about 40 % of my and my family's
>> > survival
>> needs.
>> > For the rest, obviously I had to work.
>> >
>> > I was 45 and fit to work for many more years.
>> > For the first time the thought came to my mind-if I was in civvies
>> always- how it would have been?
>> > But I was too proud to feel any regret.
>> > The navy had looked after me well.
>> >
>> > Those Jawans/sailors and airmen who had to leave at the age of 35 or
>> > so,
>> certainly had it tough.
>> > But they were all capable of making their lives again.
>> > We all had joined of our free will knowing the pros and cons-isn't it?
>> >
>> > That there was something like OROP- I only heard in passing.
>> > Never gave it a thought.
>> > After all if there was something that I should have got, the three
>> service chiefs and the senior officers would have ensured that I get it!
>> >
>> > I heard about veterans returning their medals to the president's
>> > office.
>> (The supreme Commander of the Armed Forces never had time to meet those
>> anguished, graying men.)
>> > I wondered why?
>> >
>> > Then I heard a name-Dhanapalan.
>> > Read his story.
>> > The army chief had asked him to meet separately when Maj Dhanapalan
>> asked a question about pay anomaly during one of the presentations.
>> > To meet separately-obviously to put him in his place.
>> > Dhanapalan did not go to meet him.
>> > Instead he went to the court after retirement.
>> > And court asked that he be paid some lakhs of rupees because injustice
>> had been done to him.
>> >
>> > Individuals went to the courts.
>> > ESM organisations sprouted all over India.
>> > They merged and divided and then merged again and went to the Supreme
>> Court.
>> > One day, I heard that the Supreme Court had decided that injustice had
>> been done to me!
>> > And I was to be compensated monetarily for what the GOI had been
>> cheating me of.
>> > My revised pension was to be given to me.
>> > The mirror of my faith cracked a little.
>> > The senior officers could not do it?
>> > They had no authority or insufficient will?
>> > What was it that had forced the retired service personnel to go to the
>> courts?
>> >
>> > I kept hearing about agitations launched by the veterans.
>> > Never went for one.
>> >
>> > I was different!
>> > I was/am the last defence that my country has got against external
>> threat and internal problems.
>> > I could not go on the streets like a common agitator!!
>> >
>> > Surely, there were other ways and other senior officers who would
>> > ensure
>> that injustice is not done to me or those who come after me.
>> > I heard about a prime ministerial candidate promising OROP in 100 days
>> of his party coming to power.
>> > 100 days came and went.
>> >
>> > One day my daughter castigated me not going to Jantar Mantar, where a
>> dharna had been in progress for many days.
>> > She asked me, if I shall refuse the benefits which I shall be getting
>> because of the struggle of all the veterans who were sitting on hunger
>> strike at Jantar Mantar?
>> >
>> > Out of curiosity I went.
>> > Then I went again and again and again.
>> > And I changed!
>> > I learnt and am still learning.
>> >
>> > There I saw Col Inderjit Singh who first took up the OROP issue in
>> 1982.
>> > He is more than eighty years old and comes everyday for the dharna in
>> his wheel chair.
>> > And Satbir Singh, who has made this as the mission of his life.
>> > He has been ridiculed, threatened, ignored, but possesses a 'never say
>> die spirit'.
>> > And a widow in her nineties-still waiting for OROP.
>> >
>> > On 26 August, Dushyant Dave, president of the Supreme Court Bar Council
>> came with all the office bearers. They pledged support to the ESM and
>> promised to fight for OROP on their behalf, free of cost. They assured us
>> that the Government will not go to the court. If they did, they will lose
>> in the third hearing.
>> >
>> > In my visits, the main thing that I learnt was that I was quite
>> > ignorant
>> about what OROP was.
>> > And then the thought came to me, that there is a vast majority of
>> ex-servicemen intent on not sullying their image by taking this route-
>> because they are even more ignorant than I am!
>> > They have zero knowledge about the issues involved in OROP!
>> >
>> > An insidious thought entered my mind, "For forty one years, I and those
>> who were before me, did not hit the streets.
>> > Who got us OROP?"
>> > The answer was a painful-No one!
>> > It was apathy by all concerned.
>> > We did not think money and the powers that be, quietly-not only denied
>> us money but also kept downgrading the armed forces.
>> > And those upon whom we had been depending- were helpless!
>> >
>> > It was announced when the prime ministerial candidate faced a huge
>> turnout of ESM at Rewari."
>> > Everyday there are 15 or more ESM/ladies on hunger strike at Jantar
>> Mantar.
>> > Hundreds of officers and men are present there every day.
>> > I have seen Lieutenant Generals and senior air force officers at the
>> dharna.
>> > Not many naval personnel though.
>> > 'OROP will be announced soon, before the Bihar elections.' They told me
>> at Jantar Mantar.
>> > It was!
>> >
>> > It was announced by the defence minister before the Bihar elections
>> > were
>> announced and after the ESM made it clear that they would go to Bihar and
>> intensify their agitation.
>> > The defence minister of the country said that those who had taken VRS,
>> will not get the benefits of OROP!
>> > VRS??
>> > It was clarified that those who had taken pre-mature retirement will
>> > not
>> get the benefits of OROP.
>> > A master stroke to divide the ESM!
>> > But ESM retaliated by saying, "We do not leave our dead behind in
>> war-you expect us to leave our living brethren behind!"
>> >
>> > And I learnt that at every stage, everyday new strategies were being
>> drawn by the guys sitting in the South Block and the North Block to
>> ensure
>> that OROP is given with as little grace as is possible.
>> > The representatives of the Ex Servicemen have been called many times
>> > for
>> discussions.
>> >
>> > During the discussions, concessions have been sought from them and
>> obtained.
>> > And then the powers that be go back and include one more clause
>> detrimental to the definition of OROP.
>> >
>> > I heard that the PM had said words to the effect that OROP was being
>> given out of the hard earned money of the poor of this country!
>> > I wonder-out of whose hard earned money the MPs are paid their
>> salaries!!
>> > They waste session after session- day after day complete monsoon-winter
>> sessions are washed off without transecting any business!
>> > There is no mention of poor of the country paying for their
>> > callousness!
>> >
>> > I was also given to understand that the three chiefs and a select band
>> of the senior officers along with the top babus are already under the
>> ambit
>> of what is called OROP for us.
>> > I am an ignorant man-always ready to aplogise for my lack of knowledge.
>> >
>> > At Faridabad, the PM reiterated the intention to implement OROP in it's
>> original form. And that those who had taken pre-mature retirement will
>> not
>> miss out.
>> > They was happiness that the pre-mature retirees will get it.
>> > Next day there was a news item in TOI-statement by a babu-'NO they will
>> not get it.'
>> > Till to date, no denial of this news item from any government source.
>> > Is it possible that a babu can overturn what the PM said?
>> > Then I tried to recollect. At no stage had the PM clearly said that
>> > 'ALL' the premature retirees will get it!
>> > The speech was worded in a way that left scope for doubt.
>> >
>> > I also learnt about seven anomalies that still need attention.
>> > I do not understand why this is happening?
>> >
>> > On 12 September a rally was held at Jantar Mantar.
>> > I went for it.
>> > There were thousands upon thousands veterans and ladies present.
>> > Was the total number 20,000/30,000?
>> > How does it matter!
>> > There were a large number of media personnel/vans present to cover the
>> event.
>> > It was announced from the stage that the government had muzzled the
>> media.
>> > Buses had been stopped at the border.
>> > No reporting of the event!
>> > It was not reported anywhere.
>> > Was the media under instructions to blow up any untoward incident at
>> > the
>> meet!
>> > The demonstration has been peaceful-for more than 100days!!
>> >
>> > I am bewildered.
>> > Why does my own government refuse to give me what is mine (everyone in
>> uniform)!
>> > Why do they refuse to give me what has been agreed to forty three years
>> ago!
>> > Why do they refuse to clear-in it's original form-what has been
>> > promised
>> by successive governments, looked in to microscopically by a
>> parliamentary
>> committee, agreed upon by two-all party parliament approvals, found in
>> order by the highest court of the land and agreed to by the present
>> government.
>> >
>> > I was/ am the last line of defence that my country has against external
>> aggression and internal problems.
>> > I am different.
>> > I don't want to go to Jantar Mantar!
>>
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>>
>
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