AN APPEAL FROM VETERANS TO PEOPLES’ REPRESENTATIVES

                                                                     IN BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

Honorable Members of Parliament

I am sure that all of you honorable members are aware of the existence of section of society known earlier as “EX-SERVICEMEN” and now rechristened a “VETERANS” . I do not know if the renaming has brought any difference in their social status in the eyes of the bureaucrats which is degradation, disdain, disgrace, contempt and  insult. The process of degradation commenced over four decades ago and grew to the present indescribable dimension. I will not go in to the details of history of those callously calculated  moves  by bureaucrats who always wanted subjugated Armed Forces as all of you , I am sure, are fully aware of.

Issue now is of absolute discrimination

This appeal from veterans comes to you for help in resolving a burning issue which is affecting life of many pre 2006 defense retirees who are living in perennial penury.

The Hon’ble CAT Ernakulam in an order dt 16-8-2013 in OA.No.715/2012 filed by Sri M.O. Inasu directed that the revised pension w.e.f.1-1-2006 under 4.2 of OM dt 1-9-2008 would not be reduced based on the qualifying service of 33 years. The appeals filed against the order in Hon’ble High Court of Kerala and The Hon’ble Supreme court of India were dismissed.

Consequent upon this the GOI issued OM No.38/37/08-P&PW (A) dt 06 April, 2016 revising pension of Central Govt Retirees in Accordance with CAT order.

Within 48 hours of issuance of the above OM the Principal Controller of Defense Accounts (Pension), Draupadi Ghat issued Circular C-149 asking all pension disbursing authorities to revise Pension of all pre 2006 Defense Civilian Retirees.

FOUR MONTHS have gone by nothing has happened as regards defense pensioners.

The benefits of this order mostly affect low paid PBOR like sepoy/Naik/Hav/and JCOS. Most of them are in their twilight years of existence and pinned their hopes of a small comfort of arrears accruing out of the enhancement in emoluments.

We are not worried and surely not jealous if our civilian brothers get arrears earlier. Let them have; but WHY THIS APATHY towards us? That is the question which baffles us. Is GUARDING AND KEEPING VIGIL AT BORDERS AND SACRIFICING OUR LIVES WHEN THE NATION IS THREATENED is the crime that we committed for which we are being subjected to this punishment? We are unable to fathom the depth of the intellectual inanities of “Babus” who rule the roost in MOD.

We have approached all and sundry trying to resolve the issue but in vain. Senior veteran officers have written to the Raksha Mantri requesting him to find a solution for the present impasse; but again in vain. DESW was requested to throw light on the matter and we were advised that the matter was “under processing”. This was on 24 May 2016.

On 27-6-2016 Sri MBC Menon asked under RTI 2005 to furnish information on the subject for which a reply dt 1-8-16, clearly exhibiting the thinking of Babus which has been and is contempt towards the cause of veterans was received on 3-8-16.

Para 2 of the the reply said “the information sought by is not specific as defined under section 2(f) of RTI Act 2005 and CPIO is not supposed to create information/give clarification on the issue raised by the applicant”

It further says that the matter is “under examination”.

Hon’ble MPs, please note difference a.) GOI issues OM on 6/4/16 and pension is revised for CG pensioner b) within 48 hrs PCDA(P) issues circular to revise pension of defense civilians. C) the matter still “BEING EXAMINED” even after 4 months in respect of defense veterans.

Gentlemen Ladies MPs, tell us what you think about this. Will you accept such inordinate delay when the question of implementation of enhancement of your emoluments are concerned ?

Will Abhinav Mohanty Sir, MP and Rajiv Chandrasekhar Sir MP take up this matter in both Houses? Will any representative of the people, of which we too are part and parcel, rise to the occasion and speak for us.

Thank you in anticipation

Veteran JWO Sukumaran Nair