FOUJI COMMUNITY - CHANGE OF MINDSET NEEDED (SHED EGO AND RANK STATUS?) : LEARNING FROM THE IAS

Armed Forces personnel blame the IAS fraternity for all the ills that plague our country. In the last couple of years, the criticism of the so called ‘babus’ has become even more strident. (Incidentally, the term ‘babu’ was once used as a term of respect, in Bengal, Bihar and the United Provinces during British rule. The names of Dr Rajendra Prasad and Jagjivan Ram were usually prefixed with ‘Babu’). Be that as it may, there are a few things that men in uniform can learn from the IAS fraternity – camaraderie and esprit de corps.

Recently, when the former coal secretary HC Gupta was booked by the CBI in a case of corruption, the entire IAS fraternity rose in his defence. Instead of watching from the sidelines, they sought legal opinion on how to intervene in the matter. They also used their contacts with political parties to seek help for their colleague. The BJP national secretary RP Singh has promised to extend all help, including financial support, to Gupta. He has asked the Minister of State for Personnel to “revisit the case”.  Members of the IAS Association also met Dr. Jitendra Singh, MOS in the PMO. He has assured them that the laws will be suitably amended to protect IAS officers from harassment. The matter was even discussed in Parliament, and laws will soon be framed to protect ‘honest’ officers from prosecution. Of course, there is already a provision in the Prevention of Corruption Act for prior sanction before government servants can be prosecuted. Needless to say, such sanction is rarely given by the Government (read ‘babus’) for prosecuting one of their own.

Compare this with what happens when an Armed Forces officer is in trouble.  In 1988, a naval officer, Captain BK Subbarao, who had voluntarily retired a year earlier, faced a similar predicament.  A brilliant scientist, he had worked in BARC for many years and developed a design for the propulsion plant of a nuclear submarine. He was arrested at Bombay airport shortly before he could board a flight to USA, where he was to make a presentation.  He was charged under the Official Secrets Act and the Atomic Energy Act and accused of trying to smuggle  classified documents including atomic secrets. In fact, what he was carrying was a copy of his thesis for which he had been awarded a PhD by IIT Bombay in 1985. It took him five years to prove that he was innocent, of which 20 months were spent in jail.  During this time, his case was heard by three Magistrates, five Sessions judges, 21 High Court judges and 13 Supreme Court judges. In the meantime, Subbarao had spent his time in jail studying law and appeared in-person in all the courts.

The case against him had been foisted by corrupt officers in BARC, after Subbarao had found fault with three of their successive designs for the propulsion plant for an atomic submarine. This led to funds being cut off for the projects, causing heartburn in the BARC hierarchy. The last straw was the proposal cleared by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to appoint him the Technical Head of the nuclear submarine project. This caused alarm in BARC and before it could come about, his enemies aborted the proposal. BARC and the Department of Atomic Energy connived with the Maharashtra Government to implicate Subbarao in a false case to prevent his re-induction into the project.  There was also a well orchestrated media campaign, branding him as a spy who was caught trying to sell atomic secrets to foreign powers.  Though he was finally acquitted, he and his family underwent immense pressure and emotional trauma.  It was a long and arduous battle  that he fought and  won alone. He did not get any support from any of his erstwhile colleagues or his parent service.

  

The case of Maj Gen VK Singh (yes, that’s me) is similar. In June 2007, his book India’s External Intelligence–Secrets of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) was published by Manas Publications.  It brings to light the rampant corruption in RAW, where he served for about three and a half years before his retirement. Almost three months after the publication of the book, the CBI raided his house and took away his computer, passport and diaries, informing him that they had registered an FIR under the Official Secrets Act based on a complaint from RAW that he had revealed ‘secrets’ in the book that endanger the security and sovereignty of India. Though he was not arrested, he applied for and was granted bail after the CBI filed a charge sheet in the court of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate. The case is pending and the charges have still not been framed, even though nine years have elapsed.

Soon after the commencement of the case, Maj Gen VK Singh made a formal complaint to the CVC and the CBI, pointing out instances of corruption in the organization, with the names of the officers involved mentioned in the book.  Meanwhile, a delegation of the Whistle Blowers Forum comprising Prashant Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal and Admiral Tahiliani met the CVC and asked him to get the cases investigated. The CVC (an ex-bureaucrat) as well as the CBI, did nothing. However, Prashant Bhushan filed a petition in the High Court to quash the FIR and charge sheet filed by the CBI.  This case is also pending with no end in sight.

The case received extensive media coverage after it was filed, with eminent people from almost every section of society decrying the unfair treatment meted out to Maj Gen VK Singh. Almost everyone feels that he should be treated as a whistleblower and the case against him dropped. It is clear that like BK Subbarao, he is being targeted by corrupt officers in RAW, whose misdeeds have been exposed in the book. Though he has received support from politicians, lawyers, bureaucrats and media persons, hardly anyone from the Army has come out openly in his support, except for a few such as Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi.  In contrast, the IAS fraternity immediately jumped to the aid of Gupta, even though he has been accused of corruption. However, none of our own ex servicemen’s organizations have thought it fit to assist one of their own like Capt BK Subbarao or Maj Gen VK Singh. Don’t we need to learn something from the IAS?

Maj Gen VK Singh,  Veteran,  

Tel No 9873494521

(SOURCE- VIA GP E-MAIL)

Epic video! (Courtesy Aajtak) Let us make this viral and let each and every pakistani see this!!

CLICK TO VIEW THE VIDEO


(SOURCE- VIA FB A/C OF VAMSI MARUPUDI)

AWARD BHARAT RATNA TO THOSE OUR SOLDIERS WHO DID SURGICAL STRIKE?

Dear All Defence Veterans, 

EVERY ONE IS AWARE THAT THE JAWANS OF GHATAK PLATOON OF INF REGTs ENTERED POK AND RUINED 7 CAMPUS OF TERRORISTS in PAKISTAN.  ALL HIGH PROFILE VVIPS CONGRATULATED THEM NEXT DAY. FINE.

 

BUT WHY NOT BHARAT RATNA BE AWARDED TO THOSE SOLDIERS WHO DID SURGICAL STRIKE.  LIKE BHARAT RATNA AWARDED TO THOSE PERSONS WHOSE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FIELDS OF ARTS, LITERATURE, SCIENCE, PUBLIC SERVICES AND ANY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOUR? 

                               

DEFINITION OF BHARAT RATNA

The Bharat Ratna  is the highest award of the Republic of India. Instituted in 1954, the award conferred "in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order" without distinction of race, occupation, position. The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the Govt expanded the criteria to include "any field of human endeavour" in Dec 2011. 

I REQUEST TO MY SENIOR OFFICERS (DEF VETs) FOR DOING THE NEEDFUL.

WITH WARM REGARDS, 

H.Capt Baldev Singh
Publicity Manager
Salute to the Indian Soldier
c/o FLAGS MEDIA PVT LTD
Mob : +91-8130629833

(Source- Via Gp e-mail and with inputs by the Blogger)

Lt Gen PC Katoch-Dateline 28 Sep 16-On the Denigration of Military and and the Denial on Dues to the Soldiers

Dear All,

Looks like a No holds barred article . Great..

Regards,

A Sunder Rajan

=============================================

Lt GENERAL P.C.KATOCH

Wednesday, September 28,2016

NEW DELHI: The manner in which the military is being denigrated and soldiers denied their dues, makes some wonder whether mercenaries have been hired to defend India. But that can hardly be true because mercenaries are highly paid, for example, in Afghanistan mercenaries working for the west easily earn equivalent of Rs 5-6 lakhs per month.

Besides, mercenaries are hardly subject to regulations of the military and can indulge in all types of what can mildly be described as individually self-satisfying activities; best not elaborated here. Post the Uri attack, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has vaguely said that “mistakes have been made” which can be interpreted any which way.

Parrikar would have be in a better position to assess the situation if he had sent his Defence Secretary and other bureaucrats to sleep a few nights on posts along the Line of Control (including Uri) and the Line of Actual Control. But then he is no George Fernandes who sent Ministry of Defence bureaucrats to the Siachen Base Camp. And he also realizes that the mafia fixed George in the ‘Coffingate’scam which was proved false just recently, years after his passing away.

From the military that defends India, an army Colonel (Preetpal Singh Grewal) recently petitioned the Punjab & Haryana High Court pointing out amongst other things: one, while Government constituted Anomalies Committees to look into the 7th Central Pay Commission recommendations,these committees are granting hearings to civil employees, their associations and the civil establishment and not to defence personnel or even the defence services or establishment which ironically constitute the highest number of employees and pensioners;

2. no information at all was given to defence services about the institution of the committee – military became aware of them through media reports;

3. the Committee had held several meetings with civil employees;

4. four, since there is a bar on military employees forming associations, the system should be more sensitive in hearing views of defence personnel;

5. five, not granting any opportunity to hear or interact with official defence establishment is against the principles of natural justice as ruled by Constitutional Courts, and;

6..six, even the Standing Committee on Welfare of Ex-servicemen which was ordered to hold meetings every three months by none less than the Defence Minister has not even held a single meeting thereby undermining political authority by lower officials.

So the said Court has issued notice to the Central Government and has also directed that in the meantime the Anomaly Committee shall take into account the views on anomalies affecting defence personnel.

Should the above not be a matter of shame for the government that the military is being treated in this manner? Why should a military officer have to knock on the doors of the judiciary for what should be the fair function of the government unless there is a diabolical design to do down the military.

If there really is a case of revenge against the military by someone who suffered a scintillating electoral defeat against a veteran military opponent, as is being profusely discussed on social media, such a convoluted feeling of revenge certainly shouldn’t be applied against the entire military.

The Defence Minister appears to be in the same position as his predecessor A.K.Antony who had famously quipped, “My hands are tied”.

Who ties the hands of the Defence Minister of India? Isn’t that the reason despite scores and scores of petitions against the department of ex-servicemen (DESW) it continues to be manned by cynic bureaucrats who take sadistic pleasure in denying dues to military widows and even war wounded and disabled, forcing them into prolonged litigation they can ill-afford.

The Defence Minister has simply turned a deaf ear to the demand for military representation in the DESW. Similarly, he has not made any move whatsoever to induct military professionals into the MoD other than the charade of posting a former CISC as the advisor while the Defence Secretary runs riot with his power without accountability over the military; charged with defence of India (not the Defence Minister) under Government of India’s Allocation of Rules (AOB) and Transaction of Business (TOB), 1961.

Recently, a lady has been asking on the internet why the military is so worked up despite the One Rank One Pension (OROP) sanctioned after decades. She is probably unaware that only part OROP has been sanctioned by design (someone’s revenge, jealousy, cynicism, whatever) and the one-man Reddy Commission continues performing its circus in 19 cities (on government expense – defence?) with recruited scribes describing him “military friendly.” This despite the fact that the definition of OROP is not even a term of reference of his commission and his opening narrative at various places is that the ‘government doesn’t have much money”.

Not to talk of first time when peacefully protesting veterans were lathi charged – an incident watched by serving soldiers in horror. And what about the 7th Central Pay Commission that lowers the military below all civil services, be it the IAS, civil defence officials, the central armed police forces, police etc?

And then the Defence Minister tells the Service Chiefs to implement the grossly lopsided 7th CPC immediately with the customary political lie that anomalies will be looked into – can he meet his eye in the mirror after doing nothing to address anomalies of earlier CPCs? Of course his ‘hands are tied’. But if you think the above mentioned court order by the Punjab & Haryana High Court will make any difference, you got to think twice.

In 2010, Smt Pushpavanti (widow of a military man) approached the Supreme Court (Writ Petition (Civil) No. 291 of 2010) praying for better pension than the pittance she was being paid. The MoD fielded the then Attorney General of India and then Solicitor General of India to defend itself. After a stinging rebuke, the SC Bench gave temporary relief also constituting an Armed Forces Grievance Redress Commission, plus orders to take instructions from the government for setting up a separate Pay Commission for the Armed Forces. It was a fleeting hope because the SC recalled its order shortly thereafter.

All this while the J&K State administration has collapsed in the Valley and the police run away with the Army tasked to re-establish the rule of law; the administration sitting cozily surrounded by heavy security – does it remind you of the brigade attack in Aizwal many decades back where even air had to be used? Meanwhile the tango of avenging the Uri attack continues amidst clapping under hallucinations of the US declaring Pakistan a terrorist state, while we haven’t shown adequate guts to declare Pakistan as such ourselves.

There is no dearth of money for all government employees including the civilian defence employees. Now don’t question why the PMO has not stepped in and how long this denigration of the military will continue? Why not ponder over ‘which country’ wants a strong India – yes the analysis may be appalling?

Presidents in the past have acknowledged that the military is the last bastion in India. So for all those not wanting a strong India, why not hollow the military from within? From where the motivation is coming for this and what are the motivators – readers can guess.

But hey don’t lose heart completely; the DRDO has just announced they are working on bringing a smile to the soldier’s face and boost his morale in conjunction with the IITs albeit the plan for this is yet to be worked out. No, they don’t know that morale is a function of command and perhaps don’t have designs to command the military. But then isn’t the military under the command of the bureaucracy – a concept unique to India?

(Lt General P.C.Katoch(retired) is a veteran of the Indian Army)

(SOURCE- VIA GP E-MAIL)

LETTER TO THE HONBLE PRIME MINISTER DATED 01 OCT 2016 : BY LT COL INDERJIT SINGH (RETD)

Dear Sh Narendra Modi my Chotte Bhai Saheb,

Every leader is mincing no words while saying 'INDIAN ARMY HAS MADE NATION PROUD.'

Indian Army has always made India proud. There is nothing new about it? What have the Indian Armed Forces got in return. Can the Armed Forces also say this about their political leadership and the powers that run our great Nation?  If I say 'NO NOT AT ALL' I will not be telling any lies. 

Greatest Achievement 

The greatest of their achievements was victory in the Indo Pak War in 1971 when they broke India's  enemy into two Nations and captured over 90,000 POWs. Thereby eliminating threat to the Nation of having to fight on two fronts  every time  Pakistan threatened India, for all times to come. What did the Armed Forces get in return. Down gradation of their status and reduction of their pensions from 73 % of their salaries to 50 % as pensions? This was also the beginning of systematic down gradation of their salaries and status.

Systematic Down-Gradation

First Major Shock. Every time the revision was done the Armed Forces were down graded and facilities reduced. If they questioned they were told this was all that they could get. Take it or lump it. The Sixth CPC left them aghast with degradation further when they were the only Service not granted NFFU along with with many more anomalies. The matter was taken up with the leadership but nothing came out of that till today. 

Another Bombshell. While the matter is still under consideration of the Govt, another bombshell has been delivered with 7th CPC award. When the Chiefs took it up with our worthy Raksha Mantri they were brusquely told to go and implement it first and then their request will be considered. More amazing was his reply to you my Chhote Bhai Saheb, when after meeting the Chiefs you asked him why these anomalies could not be removed before the Notification was issued. His answer to you was amazing. His answer was that Cabinets decision once taken can't be changed before the Notification was issued. The surprising aspect of this matter was that you accepted this ridiculous statement without any comment. I know of cases when after the Cabinet has taken a decision about a matter, the concerned Ministry referring back to the Cabinet for reconsideration.

OROP Struggle - Contemptuous Treatment. The latest and most degrading of these all, is the Veterans ongoing struggle for OROP for the past over 470 days at Jantar Mantar. A major unforgivable blot on all leadership.The Veterans are seeking the 'ASLI OROP' that you have promised  them before and after the Elections. Nothing more nothing less. Need I say that your absolute majority is only for their whole hearted support to you. You doubt it? If you do then you may continue with your disastrous policy of following the dictates of bureaucrats about matters pertaining to Armed Forces and see the results in the next General Elections. The amazing and shocking aspect of all this  is that you have even refused to meet any of these Veterans leave alone solve their problems.

   

Why? Are they untouchables that a Pradhan Sewak doesn't want to see them? This being done to those who make the Nation proud every time, is most heart rending.

OROP Easily Implementable

The Veterans are your admirers for what you said before elections and want to continue to be so. It is time to mend the fences. Please take action to do it soon and before it is too late. Whoever tells you that OROP is not implement-able is a blatant lier. I am the person who raised it with the Hon'ble PM, the first time on 22 Feb 1982 and struggled all these years for it and got it twice before. From the Congress Govt in 1990 through a High Level Empowered Committee (HELC) headed by RM in the form of One Time Increase  (OTI)  formula and second time from UPA Govt on 25 Jan 2006, through a Group of Minister Committee headed by RM, who now is The President of India. It was easily implemented both times by the very people who are misleading you now.  

Draft Govt Letter Issued In April 2014

The 3rd time we got it announced on 17 Feb 14 by the UPA. They were in the process of implementation when the Govt fell. The Govt however before falling, had in consultation with Veterans prepared a Draft Govt Letter which was to be issued shortly. Even a Chief was asked to announce that to Veterans by your Govt, which he did. The bureaucrats dilly dallied over it in the hope they would be able to wriggle out of it with your Govt and they did by projecting blatant lies about it. How sad? Its implementation will not only solve this long standing problem but will also save the precious time of  CPC for working out pensions every time.     

I have written to you despite being paralysed for the last twenty months waiting for my flight to my Heavenly abode.  All because I wish that you continue to serve the Nation for long time as PRADHAN SEWAK. You take it or leave it. Despite my problems I am prepared to come and pay you my regards and clarify what I have said about OROP or any other matter.

Congratulation For Bold Decision

Heartiest Congratulations for allowing the Armed Forces to do their job to make the Nation proud. I hope that you will take equally strong decision to put another matter write for the Armed Forces. What is needed I wrote you soon after you assumed charge. You had accepted and issued instructions about two of these matters i.e. Ex servicemen Commission and SCOVA, but the bureaucrats have yet to constitute these even after two years. It will be interesting for you to know the reasons for the delay. If these were in position, the Reddy Committee hopping around India meaninglessly wasting time and expense would not be necessary. The acceptable solution would have been worked out after in house discussions as we did for DGL early 2014.

I am aware that this appeal may never be allowed to reach your desk, I am, therefore, sending it to all those who matter with the hope that some well meaning person like me would reach it to you. 

The Hon'ble

Sh Narendra Modi

The Prime Minister 

Govt of India

South Block

New Delhi 110001

(Source- Via Gp E-mail from Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)

DESW ISSUED ORDERS ON 30.9.2016 ON REVISION OF PENSION OF PRE-1.1.2006 PENSIONERS (JCOsd/ORs/COMMISSIONED OFFICERS) - DELINKING OF QUALIFYING SERVICE OF 33 YEARS FOR REVISED PENSION

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ORDER


(SOURCE- DESW WEBSITE)

7th Central Pay Commission notification for defence pensioners issued: Some Good News, Some Bad News- good on OROP fitment, very bad for rates of disability pension.

Dear all 

The Ministry of Defence has yesterday issued the notification for grant of pensionary awards based on the recommendations of the 7^th Central Pay Commission. The same can be downloaded and accessed by clicking here.

While there is good news for regular pensioners in the sense that the Government has decided to grant a fitment of 2.57 on the pension drawn by pensioners as on 31 Dec 2015, which includes 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP) pension drawn on the said date, the notification very regressively has reduced the amount of disability benefits admissible to disability pensioners. They have relegated the rates to the ‘slab system’ as was prevalent prior to the 6^th Central Pay Commission thereby placing defence disability pensioners at a sharp disadvantage as compared to civil disability pensioners.

My analysis on each entry in the notification:

1.    Revision of Pension of pre-7^th CPC retirees: A good move. Both options accepted. The first option of notional pension based on fitment as per service in the pay level in which the person had retired has been accepted subject to feasibility study. The second option of multiplication fitment of 2.57 of the pension as on 31 Dec 2015 has been implemented with immediate effect. This translates into OROP X 2.57. One must congratulate the Defence Services Headquarters, especially the Adjutant General of the Army, for ensuring the judicious implementation of this aspect. This also puts an end to the needless rumour-mongering that OROP shall not be configured with the new pay commission modalities. 

2.    No comments required. 

3.    No comments required.

4.  Pre-2006 Honorary Naib Subedars: The stated position of the 7^th CPC that this ‘closed matter’ may not be reopened has been accepted by the Government. This is clearly not in order. It may be recalled that while post-2006 retiree Honorary Naib Subedars were paid the pension of a Regular Naib Subedar, the same was refused to pre-2006 retirees. This statement of the 7^th CPC and its acceptance is legally not in order since there already is in force judicial dicta, upheld till the Supreme Court, providing that pensions of pre-2006 Honorary Naib Subedars are also to be calculated based upon the pay of a regular Naib Subedar. The non-acceptance of this issue means that litigation on the subject shall continue since the anomaly has not been addressed. 

5.    No comments required.

6.    Pension of Territorial Army personnel: This issue has also been addressed by way of judicial verdicts and should have been resolved by the 7^th CPC. 

7.    No comments required.

8.   Disability pension rates: This is the single most condemnable recommendation by the 7^th CPC which has strangely been accepted by the Government. Frankly, I never thought that this regressive recommendation would ever be accepted. While recommending this aspect, the 7^th CPC had made unfounded and uncharitable remarks against disabled soldiers by casting aspersions on those who have incurred disabilities while in service. I had discussed the issue in detail earlier on this blog post dated 21 Nov 2015. While the heading of this entry is “Enhancement in rate of disability pension”, it has actually resulted in a massive decrease resulting in a payout even lower than 6^th CPC rates. The 6^th CPC had removed an anomaly wherein disability pension was being earlier calculated based on percentage of pay for civilians but on slabs for defence personnel. This (the slab system) was leading to an enormous discrimination between civilians and defence personnel except at lower ranks where defence personnel were getting a slightly better deal. The 6^th CPC hence equated civilians and defence personnel after which in both cases the disability pension was directed to be calculated on percentage basis (30% of emoluments for 100% disability). A protection clause was further introduced so that the lower ranks did not face any disadvantage due to the percentage system. All anomalies were therefore addressed for all ranks and all sections of employees. The 7^th CPC, based on totally vague and unsubstantiated grounds, which should have been actually expunged from the report itself, recommended the reversion to the slab system. This is totally uncalled for and should be strongly contested by the Defence Services HQ by requesting the Raksha Mantri to immediately review these orders. The arbitrariness of this decision becomes evident from the following chart:

(100% Disability) Rank	Rates under the 6th CPC as on 31 Dec 2015	Rates applicable after the 7th CPC as on 01 Jan 2016
Lt Gen	Rs 52,560	Rs 27,000
Head of Central Armed Police Force	Rs 52,560	Rs 67,500

9.  Broad-banding of disability pension: The Government has accepted broad-banding of disability pension for cases other than invalidation, that is, all cases irrespective of manner of exit. But the catch is that this has only been made applicable from 01 Jan 2016 whereas the anomaly arose from 01 Jan 1996 which the Supreme Court adjudicated. Hence, regrettably there would be no change or reduction in litigation for claims of broad-banding from 01 Jan 1996 till 31 Dec 2015 as mandated by Supreme Court orders. Practically this helps only those who retire on or after 01 Jan 2016 while for the rest the legal position for claiming benefits remains the same.

10. Enhancement of old age pension for disability and war injury pensioners: The strangest part of this entry is the fact that the Defence Services had indeed asked for this, and the commission actually rejected it and the Ministry of Defence has accepted that rejection. I say it is strange because the Government had already clarified way back in 2010 that additional old age pension very much applies to disability and war injury pensioners. Hence the Defence Services HQ had demanded and the 7^th CPC and the Ministry of Defence rejected something that stood granted and clarified way back in 2010 by the Government which becomes clear from this letter issued in 2010 which can be accessed by clicking here. This single instance should be an indicator enough of the expertise and institutional memory available at various echelons of our systems. Unfortunate, to say the least! 

11. Disability Pension to “Neither Attributable to, Nor Aggravated by Military Service” Cases: The recommendation of the 7^th CPC is redundant in this aspect since the Supreme Court and various High Courts have already ruled that in case a person is fit at the time of enrollment, then any disability arising during service is deemed to have a connection with service thereby entitling a him/her to disability pension.

12. No comments required. 

13. No comments required.

14. No comments required.

=========================================================

​

(Source- Maj Navdeep Singh Blog/Via Gp e-mail from Chander Prakash Vet)