From: Col Virendra Swarup
Petition: One Rank One Pension ...
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Dear Sir:
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Attached is the petition relating to One Rank One Pension for kind consideration of Shri Bhagat Singh Ji, Hon. Member of Parliament, and Chairman Rajya Sabha Committee relating to OROP.
Warm regards,
Colonel Virendra Swarup,Veteran
5116, East Butler Drive, Paradise Valley
Arizona 85253, USA
Phone: 602-677-2807
Petition on One Rank One Pension.
Dear Shri. Bhagat Singh Ji:
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1. Undeniably, India faces serious external threats from various quarters. And, we may not like to believe that we are hostile to adequate preparedness. Additionally, we have serious internal security issues and other social problems too - The corruption is on the peak. On top of that, sorely though, the sight of Ex-Servicemen of armed forces agitating for One Rank One Pension (OROP). The most unfortunate thing is a cool response from Supreme Commander of Armed Forces and the power that be, which is demoralizing for not only the veterans but entire nation.
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2. Soldiering is a unique profession unparallel of any other services which encompasses Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity. For him defence of the country from external threats comes first; he is trained as such and motivated to give his life, for him all other things in life is subordinate. He is often called upon to undertake responsibilities to perform his duties in any national emergency to include internal security on top of the Para-military forces, natural calamities and wherever other services are not able to perform/handle that too, without any qualms and questions. Pride of Nation and Self respect in soldiering is very important that should never be hurt and ignored - OROP is, therefore, a justified demand of the veterans...
3. OROP, in effect means that a soldier's pension be determined by just two factors:
.Ø his rank
.Ø Length of his service, meaning , two military pensioners who retired in the same rank after rendering equal service should get equal pension irrespective of their dates of retirement
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4. But, It is regretted, despite outright recommendations of successive Parliamentary Committees on Defence, assurances of all the political parties, the Chair- Person of UPA, the PM himself and the directive of the President Of India - the Supreme Commander during address to the Joint Session Of the Parliament in 2009, and the clear & consistent directive of the Apex Court and other courts in this regard, OROP has remained a mirage for almost three decades. Apparently all these assurances were given only to show sympathy with the veterans to pacify them temporarily.
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5. It is well known, unlike other Government employees, service personnel are retired in the prime of their youth for obvious reasons; but, without assured absorption or employment in other /semi-government, public sector enterprises including Para-military services. The result is that military personnel retire much before the ages lay down for the retirement of all government employees, which currently stands at 60 years. Thus:
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*Starting from the lowest ranks, our Other Ranks, who comprise Sepoys and non commissioned officers (NCO’s), are compulsorily sent home when their age is in the region of 35 years. Their counterparts in the civil services, the police and other related services retire only at 60 years of age. There is just no recompense for the veterans for the differential of an average of 25 years, even though the cumulative effect works out to a substantial sum of nearly Rs. 0.5 crores up to the age of 60 years and over 0.6 crores or so taking into account the current aging index of 75 years of age.
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* The junior commissioned officers (JCO’s) retire 45 years of age. They too lose 15 years without any compensation of degree of difference from their civilian (including police) counterparts.
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* Now take the case of the commissioned officers, whose retirement is related to the ranks they hold. So, officers up to the rank of colonel retire at 52, now 54 years, brigadiers at 54, now 56 years and major generals at 56, now 58 years of age. The next higher rank is of lieutenant generals comprising two categories – those who retire before becoming army commanders or vice chiefs and those (a much smaller number), who get promoted. Their age of retirement is 58, now 60 years. And, above this there are only the three chiefs, who hold the next rank of General and equivalent. They retire at the age of 60 now 62 years - whereas, the only bureaucrat in this category is the cabinet secretary, and all others superannuate at the age of 60.
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6. So, our jawans and NCO’s lose 50 % of their emoluments – nearly 25 years before their civilian counterparts; our JCO’s nearly 15 years and the bulk of our officers between six to two years. It will be seen there is no compensation whatsoever, for this loss to the veterans, which is demonstrably unfair. No wonder our veterans especially the sepoys and equivalent and officers are agitating for their rightful rights of OROP.
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7. Just to put in right perspective, let me state at the time of our Independence till 1950, all military personnel received a ‘military pension’, which was equivalent to their last pay drawn The rationale was obvious – the government understood the peculiar and incomparable nature of military service as also the sacrifices a soldier made for the nation. The civil government employees, on the other hand, received 33 % of their last pay drawn as their pension, on the analogy that they had served their full years of engagement. Thereafter, in the early Sixties, pension of military personnel was arbitrarily reduced to 70 %. This arbitrary decision was presented to and there were major growl of dissatisfaction though, amongst all ranks. Nevertheless, being apolitical and patriotic, they listened to the then hierarchy of the military and carried on with the usual business of soldiering …
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8. Then came the bombshell in the garb of Third Pay Commission, the military was brought under the realm of the pay commissions. It was done on the hollow and unfounded plea of bringing parity amongst the different segments of government employees ignoring that there is nothing in common between military service and service in other departments of the government. This was well thought out cleverish move by the bureaucrats advisors played through the unprofessional, vision less political leaders then and unfortunately they caved into it. And then what - the bureaucrats continued to play the card of subordinating the military service systematically instilling a thought of possible fear of coup to the civilian rule and upgrading themselves their status over the military hierarchy and at the same time discreetly enhancing their pay and perks till a all-time low was reached in the Sixth Pay Commission, when the bureaucrats went crazy. It was only the hard stand taken by the services headquarters and the intervention of the Prime Minister that some improvements were brought about, but it was only for those in active service. All veterans, including the war disabled; other disabled personnel; widows; and family pensioners were gaily left out. This resulted in an epidemic influx of court cases where relief was surely given but the government has tried to scuttle it and even ignored the directives of the Supreme Court and the armed forces tribunal. And, instead chosen to file an appeal against their decisions in favor of the veterans.
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9. As a consequence, veterans decided to get together and launch distressed agitation in public and raised their voices as a last resort when justice and equity had been denied to them. The saving grace is that the veterans have been protesting peacefully maintaining the dignity of the military ethos.
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10. I may reiterate:
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§ Grievances of veterans have been ignored for nearly 30 years even when the Supreme Court has issued favourable judgments.
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§ The veterans at large are hurt and are returning their hard earned medals so dear to them to their Supreme Commander at regular intervals,— but the irony is, Her Excellency has not once thought fit to meet them.
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§ No self-respecting democracy is so insensitive towards the sentiments of its veterans who gave their youth, life and limbs for the country. This lack of respect does not reflect well on those serving soldiers.
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§ The apathy of the government towards its veterans has been received with some measure of delight across our borders. But to our political leaders, I am afraid, “who cares?’
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§ Despite repeated pleas before every pay commission that the military should be kept out of the purview of pay commissions, the government did not pay any heed.
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§ The requests that military representatives should be incorporated in the pay commission’s deliberations were not acceded to.
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§ The OROP issues have been lurking for three decades and the army was kept guessing and hoping that the government will take remedial measures and address their grievances appropriately.
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§ The persistent demand for justice and equity, spanning nearly three decades, is justified.
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§ Amusingly, all political parties, during Parliament discussions, in their election manifestos and in the recommendations of the Standing Committees on Defence have endorsed and accepted the demands. Regrettably, they find themselves unable to implement, perhaps because of the ill-conceived reasons advanced by the bureaucrats.
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§ It is sad that in a democracy where the elected representatives of the people are not able to implement all party consensual decisions for lack of vision! The bureaucrats smartly fashion the arguments against country’s finest military of repute, so irresponsibly and get away with it as the decision is of the political leadership after all, they are the advisors only.
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§ Remember, today’s active soldier is tomorrow’s veteran and so, do not demoralize the finest standing Indian Army in the world.
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11. In conclusion it is submitted that the veterans OROP demand is fair and justified for reasons enumerated in the aforesaid paragraphs above. It will be wise for the government to recognize the urgency and in the spirit of justice and equity grant the OROP and restore the pride and the morale of the veterans in keeping with the higher values of democracy.
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Warm regards,
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Sincerely,
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Colonel Virendra Swarup, Veteran
dear sir,
ReplyDeletedid u even recieve an ack fr the the plain speaking application,
amit
congratulations for an effective, very understandable revealations and irresponsible negligence on the part of the government. In addition, sir, you have not mentioned about punishing the villans, who prepared a system of looting our hard earned pensions, inspite of courts advise to rectify.
ReplyDelete