Civil-military divide: Mind the gap - By Hugh & Colleen Gantzer

The OROP crisis highlights the long-simmering distrust between the Govt and the defence services. This is dangerous. Seemingly little things can trigger disaffection because the world view of civilians is opposed to defence personnel.

Ex-servicemen protesting at Janpath. The OROP imbroglio is due to conflict of perceptions. PTI

THE Pakistan Army originated in the Indian Army, their bureaucrats and politicians were once ours. And yet, a breakdown of relations between them has led to terrible consequences. Virtually the same thing happened in Myanmar. Servicemen, of all nationalities,   believe that politicians are driven by a hunger for power; bureaucrats by a thirst for the privileges of tenure in office. Similarly, netas and babus, worldwide, are convinced that Servicemen are uniformed dolts, fit only to carry out orders and become cannon fodder. The OROP imbroglio is the result of these skewed perceptions.

This is not a new problem. Warriors of many societies, throughout history, tended to associate with other like-minded people. They were the artisans of war as others were specialists in construction, copper crafting, medicine or worship. Professionals tended to cluster together, share technical secrets, intermarry and form themselves into guilds. In the late Vedic period in our land, these professional guilds coalesced into exclusive castes. This proud exclusivity is the source of the problem.

Defence personnel have evolved into an exclusive guild, a jati. Their cohesion is insured by self-contained, sequestered, environments, adherence to revered customs and traditions, and unquestioning loyalty to their comrades. When your life depends on others, trust is obligatory. It cannot be bought because no one will put a price on his or her life. This was brought into sharp focus during one of the annual cruises organised for Members of Parliament by the Indian Navy. An MP asked one of our officers, “For a poor country like ours, don't you think you are being paid too much?” The Lieutenant smiled at the politician “What price do you put on your life, sir?”  The neta was taken aback. “How can I put a price on my life? How can anyone?” The young officer nodded, “Exactly. When your life is threatened by an enemy, we put our lives on the line to protect you. My salary is your life insurance, sir”. The MP smiled wanly and waddled away.

Service personnel face frequent transfers, retire young and are unable to put down their roots long enough to acquire the wealth of their peers in other professions. They have had to find another ballast to give purpose to their lives: honour. They are sustained by the driving power of honour. The Japanese samurai had their bushido code, “the way of the warrior”, valuing honour more than life. Rajputs had a similar code. When Rajput warriors faced certain defeat, their women and children immolated themselves, while the men rushed out armed and naked welcoming the glory of death on the battlefield as a matter of martial honour. They were not paid to die: they were inspired to die. Such traditions gave rise to guilds of professional fighters, eventually forming the Kshatriya caste of hereditary warriors.  

 The OROP imbroglio is an auto-immune affliction born out of the guild-caste stratification of our society. The British structured their Indian Army on such variations. The mores of our Armed Forces glorify these distinctions, while widening the gap between servicemen and civilians. This has also given rise to a conflict of perceptions. 

The Defence Services tend to see the world in terms of black and white, right and wrong. There is no time for doubts on the battlefield. Their civilian counterparts, however, spend their lives adjusting and compromising. It is difficult for one to understand the other, or not to have a mutual contempt for each other. Nevertheless, this dichotomy is hazardous and must not be allowed to grow.  Seemingly little things can trigger disaffection. The British officers of the East India Company's Army thought that the grease used on their bullets was an insignificant thing.  This “misunderstanding” festered and led to the trauma of 1857 and the eventual crash of the British Empire. 

As a couple that has experienced life on both sides of the gap, we don't believe that things have reached that impasse. But we do see disturbing signs of disaffection. When service personnel put up a complaint to their seniors, they never use the word “we”. We implies collective action and, unlike in civilian organisations, collective action is anathema in the Defence Services. Clearly, ex-servicemen, brought up in this tradition, must have been hard pressed to stage a public protest. Their conduct is being watched with anguish by their sons and daughters who are serving personnel. 

In particular, the decision to pit one uniformed service against another, to use young policemen to manhandle grey-haired, retired soldiers engaged in a peaceful, permitted protest was one of the most ill-advised actions taken by any state. It was our Tiananmen moment. It was the reprehensible act of a cowardly state masquerading in a masculine image. Its subsequent silence on this shameful event has not been interpreted as toughness but as the shame of a guilty mind. This disgraceful incident has been discussed and dissected wherever servicemen and their families meet and, naturally, in the absence of a sincere apology or explanation, it is growing in size and gravity. When this burgeoning chimera eventually emerges to confront its presumed tormentors, the consequences could be very ugly.

Any attempt at appeasement by offering incentives to one section of ex-servicemen and not the other, jawans vs officers for instance, will be seen as the divisive tactic of netas and babus who feather their own nests at every opportunity but throw crumbs to the Services. The offer may be accepted by some, but the tactic will be viewed with contempt. The only way to douse this smouldering discontent is to meet the veterans head-on, discuss things with them, arrive at unequivocal terms, and stick to those conditions. Don't depend on smarmy doublespeak and prevarications, or diktat and fiat to ride roughshod over their objections. Other governments have tried such ill-advised tactics and failed. And if these lessons are forgotten, look across our western border.

The writers are Mussoorie-based  freelance writers. Hugh was the first Judge Advocate of the Southern Naval Command.
=============================================

• 
  
  

   J Singh Thank you Hugh &Colleen. We are profoundly grateful to you. Unfortunately, Politicians and babus are completely oblivious to all this. They will do nothing till the fire becomes a conflagration. they just don't understand fire prevention and then its too late. I feel it already it is too late. We voted for a bold, decisive, daring and an audacious Prime Minister. Instead we got a effete, timid, petty, hesitating, non decisive, untrustworthy, vindictive , boastful chest thumping performer whose word means nothing.

  
  

  
  
  

  Bharat Kumar  RE-ORGANIZATION OF MILITARY/CIVILIAN COMMAND STRUCTURE. VRS inclusion in OROP draft indicates how ignorant are ministers about military? But the problem is the real govt (babus, who are ignorant about matters military as well as spiteful towards military? This is dangerous situation for national security. Since there is so much communication gap between the PMO and the service chiefs, babus being the bridge. Babus will filter the information reaching the PM as per their understanding (perception or interests whatever you call it?). Past PM and the current PM consider servicechiefs as something untouchable - Manmohan Singh reportedly never met service chiefs despite repeated requests and current PM's record may be same. Why? If he can meet secretaries on daily basis, why not service chiefs, who have a rank higher than secretaries? Is the matters military or national security that unimportant? Here is the suggested solution

  
  
• RE-ORGANIZATION OF MILITARY/CIVILIAN COMMAND STRUCTURE There should be only 5 commands (NOT as Army, Navy or Air force but all three combined) - Northern Command, Western Command, Eastern Command, Central Command and Maritime Command (including Strategic Command). Eastern Command will include areas right up to South East Asia. Western Command will include areas up to Russia. Maritime Command will include areas up to West Asia
• including Arabian Sea, India Ocean, right up to Australia. Northern Command’s area will be limited but Kashmir itself is very important and areas in Tibet and Mongolia can can be included. Central Command will contain all strikeformations of Army/AF. All 5 commands should be commanded by a 4 star general from army, air force or navy, who will report to Joint Chiefs of Staff (4 star general but a higher appointment) in PMO deputed by another 4 star general. Both Joint Chiefs of Staff and his deputy will report to the defense minister but their offices will be in PMO. Prime Minister will be connected to all 4 star commanders in field by a hotline. There should be a situation room in PMO where regular meeting of top brass of security apparatus can take place. Current service chiefs of army, air force and navy will remain in service headquarters to maintain and inter command transfers of the forces, however the military commanders in field will exercise the command and control over the forces under their command. Instead of one defense secretary, there will be secretaries each for army, air force and navy to exercise civilian control on specified areas. The above model will ensure complete civilian control over military, yet the highest level defense decision maker (PM) in touch with matters military and national defense (You know current DM’s frank admission about matters military). Imagine our PM calling the field military commander directly on hotline, eliminating all red tape. There will be no more inter service acrimony and all forces will jointly responsible for national security! If you ask for the opinion of service headquarters, that may be biased.Gary  Bharat Kumar  Two sayings come to mind about your suggestion One must cut ones coat according to the cloth, and  if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Excellent proposition but we are bogged down by our own internal politics in this country to the complete exclusion of our surroundings. And whatever little foreign policy is considered, is done by civil arm chair politicians who have never held a firearm in their hands.
• Gary The Indian politician is about as shameless as a human can get, while Indians are a like a flock of sheep, generally tolerant and easily pushed about. That's the reason we tolerate the bad roads, the endemic corruption at all levels in daily life, the delays on roads due to VIP road blocks, scams by politicians, etc. A just OROP settlement will not come from emails circulating about among the defence personnel, because the civil population doesn't care what they get or don't get. It will only come from within, by their own Chiefs confronting the Prime Minister, in no nonsense words. No other politicians in the world would have accepted the war medals of protesting ex servicemen with such callousness, nor would their populace stand idly around without comment when it happened. In no other country can police push around geriatric servicemen or rough them up without an outcry. No one can disrespect you without your own permission. When the police roughed up the veterans, the three Chiefs should have come out with a statement. There are limits to ones codes of silence. 
• ksmat  Gary Fully agree Gary. I think it really a failure of leadership - both the current and past Chief's.
• Gary  ksmat - Ksmat, as a former naval officer I know both Hugh and Colleen from Cochin days. Their insight into this imbroglio is superbly explained. Indians as a group lack a sense of national pride and that is why a few thousand marauding Mughals, and later similar numbers of British subjugated us in our own country for nigh a thousand years, inspite of the natives outnumbering them perhaps a 100 to 1. In most countries today where Indians have settled in large numbers, you see Gujarati associations, Bengali ones, Malayalee, maharashtrian, Tamil, Punjabi, but rarely an Indian one. Genetically we are accustomed to a blinkered vision of our immediate neighbourhood and sect. As long as our own needs are met, we don't care about the neighbours. We don't have the moral courage to stand up and confront injustice when we see it. And that's why this sullen silence on the part of the population while this Orop issue has been smouldering. Servicemen as a group are held in high esteem in every country in the world, including Pakistan. Consider this: If as an armed-to-the-teeth citizen of a society you are being insulted and pushed around, what does it say of your character? Is it the fault of the society heaping insults on you, or yours? Nobody can insult you without your own permission. 
• ksmat  Gary, Fully agree. Our relationship with God is also one to one - sense of community and duty to it is lacking. My point about the Chiefs is that one of the things I learnt at IMA is that your job is to look after your men. The Chiefs seem not to have done it, they, along with selected Army Commanders and their equivalent quietly accepted APEX salary (with included OROP) and did not fight for justice for those they commanded. 
• BRAR BS- I thank you for this wonderful article. I do not think the Neta and Babus will bother to understand the points put up with such a clarity. They are not accustomed to peaceful agitations. They will wake up when things get out of control. Look at the PM how silent he is? Lt Col BS BRAR Retd
• Sunlit A wonderfully crafted article that should be able to bring home the message, to any reasonably evolved civilian mind, that by according their armed forces the regard and status due, the civilian population, bureaucracy and political structures merely accord it to themselves and the nation. The write-up serves to make it clear that a productive and sincere dialog, over matters connected with armed forces, is a far preferable alternative to belittling soldiers in uniform, or even veterans, by needlessly drawing them into unseemly squabbles. 
• Bharat Kumar  OROP pot should remain boiling or else the veterans would risk again being marginalized? Being so close to one of the most genuine demand, personality clashes, egos or even some missteps by protesting veterans or veteran leaders should not be the reason to be seen divided at this crucial time in the history of veteran struggle? What happened for the last 42 years is not entirely due to political passivity and incisiveness but failure of military and veteran leadership to lead effectively for this most genuine cause? Politicians have many more priorities than military welfare - what needed was to press upon political leadership that OROP (as defined by parliament) in the historical perspective was indeed a right priority and now that every serving and retired soldier aware about this issue – it is totally inescapable. 
• Bharat Kumar OROP Draft - FLY in TEA - Who prepared the draft? PM obviously approved it for a stamp but somebody else approved it before it was put up to PM? Who was that somebody? Now it is almost clear that DM had no clue about VRS? The Trimurty (service chiefs) also had no idea how VRS made it to the draft OROP announcement (don't expect them to do anything about it even if they knew about it. Those are the ornaments of govt - nothing more). Babus might have put forward the idea about VRS inclusion but they are not yet so powerful that they themselves can exclude 46% veteran population from the OROP? Then who were (or who was?) these forces who put FLY in the TEA before it was offered to veterans? This tea cup with fly came from PMO to DM for announcement and he probably didn't know that fly was there in the tea? Even if he knew about it, how could he remove the fly from tea because it came from PMO. So ultimately PM himself removed the FLY from TEA next day. But did he really remove the FLY? Now DM says that when detailed orders are issued about OROP, everybody will come to know the status of this FLY in TEA? But the bigger question is, even after it is confirmed that the FLY has infact been removed from TEA, would any veteran take a sip from cup (Gen VK Singh is doubtful?)? How sad state of affairs - TEA offered to veterans but somebody managed to play mischief by putting FLY into the cup? Damage is done. Now for future, here is a suggested solution. No personal secretary or assistant of PM or a Minister should be from a particular service (IAS?). Personal staff carry lot of influence, and there is always a possibility that they can abuse this influence. Surely we can find more efficient folks from neutral territory (may be on contract) to perform these sensitive jobs. 50% of defense ministry staff and officers should also be from services like UK and USA. Meanwhile, media so busy with all the mudslinging against veterans, should try and find out WHO approved this FLY in the cup of TEA for veterans before the draft was presented to PM ( Prime ministers don't prepare drafts, so please don't suspect PM)? Once it is known who pre-approved the FLY in TEA, those forces (or FORCE) should be shown the door! 
• Wg Cdr KJ Bhatt  WAR & OROP-KOPTERKOJAK@UTUBE/SOLDIER(LA TAXI LIVE), MSc (DEFENCE). At the outset,allow me to congratulate this wonderful couple very much senior to me and the authors of many a delectable travel tale sunning the sunny south.I am pleased to note sir that you were the first IN JAG(dad having been within the law always,I was ahead in law so much so at a GCM,the JAG remarked that he had never seen a President so well versed in law!). 
• At the NDA, at 16 I learnt the ten principles of war.Herman Wouk covers War & Remembrance,I would like to cover War & OROP.My outstanding dissertation incidentally was on India 2020 AD.Now I am 'standing out'! War has two common aspects to it throughout Military History.It is important therefore that every citizen reads Mil Hist and not Armchair Warriors history alone.The two aspects are Finance and Ideology.Hugh & Coleen have covered ideology,the psy warfare aspect but finance has not been covered.A problem to be solved must be stymied at the grass roots level treating the cause like a good doctor and not the symptom. 
• The budgetary system has to be zero budget orientated.Crony capitalism has to be tackled head on with super rich tax slab at 50% if need be.Black money has to be garnered.The developed economy system with 2 1/2 year budget spans for continuity has to come in.Adminstrative reforms have to harshly come in.A case in point is a one year effort to get an approval which finally came back without approval and all suggestions for reorganising brainstorming came back unactioned to the authors file! The authors have commendably highlighted the psywar aspects. 
• Bharat Kumar ADVICE to PM: Military and Veteran’s loyalty to government of the day should not be suspected but still party politics should be kept away. That doesn't mean military and veterans don't have right to ballot? Modi should ignore finance ministry objections on OROP and call a meeting of DM, veteran leaders and service chiefs about sticking points on OROP. If it is only about few hundred crores or even 1000 crores more annually, decision should be in favor of veterans (that way OROP definition criteria set by Koshiyari committee would be met). Meanwhile, DM should call IT experts to discuss administrative modalities to roll out annual review (review was done annually for 26 years without computers before 1973). Arrears should be the prerogative of government but some of the dates were already committedby DM, if word of government counts anything? Detailed letter should be with all seriousness, considering veterans as children in the family. Once letter is issued, it would be difficult to backtrack and all kudos for good work done would come to naught. Please ignore pressure groups from finance ministry - it should be your call based on advice of DM, who happens to be head of department for veterans. 
• Bharat Kumar What a great psychological warfare by BABUS on OROP! First fielding senior journalists like Shekhar Gupta to talk sweet about veteran cause but rule out less than 10 year review. Shekhar Gupta was again fielded to advise PM that he should unilaterally announce OROP what he felt was right and not to go for negotiations with veterans (PM obliged on his (or babu’s?) advice few days later).Media was bombarded with planted editorials, comments and stories that veterans were unreasonable, greedy and undisciplined. When public atmosphere was successfully created as anti-veteran, FM was fielded to rule out annual review, which is central to definition of OROP as per Koshiyari committee recommendations. Then mediator MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar was sounded that 2-3 year review could be possibility to lure under pressure veteran leaders to climb down from OROP definition (to show veterans bargaining for more money rather than on moral high ground that they were fighting for justice), which they did foolishly by publicly accepting review every two years if certain conditions (that no junior will get higher pension than a senior in the same rank) are met. Thankfully for the veterans, govt did not accept that offer and once again veterans have now fallen back to original demand of annual review as per Koshiyari committee recommendations. Whatever happens now whether govt accepts annual review or veterans are forced to go to courts, it is now 100% certain that they will only accept annual review. Veterans are on moral high ground again on OROP implementation that they are fighting for justice and not for more money, which is essential for continued public support. Nevertheless, round one goes to BABUS. 
• Bharat Kumar Thank you Hugh and Colleen. Shekhar Gupta's advice to PM that he should unilaterally announce OROP and ignore veterans for dialogue was followed in letter and spirit. Who was behind Shekhar Gupta to render such an advice is a matter of speculation but there is no doubt govt lost all goodwill where they should have taken a historic credit for meeting military's longest pending demand to undo injustice meted out to them in 1973 pay commission? 
• Rabindra Nath Roy  The instance of a Neta asking the Lieutenant whether he was paid more particularly for this country's poor population and the conversations I have to say only this that thanks to that MP who did not put that officer in trouble and thank God for the Officer who replied point blank the fact. The article is marvelous and with the understanding of the history of the warriors it has made it to be interesting. I am an Ex Naval Sailor who knows it well how one will invite a punishment on account of organising a rebellion in the Navy if I had used word'we' and after I took release from Navy only after 11 years of service and I joined the Trade union while serving in Steel Industry it was always that I spoke as 'we' never 'I', Politicians will not understand the difference. The respect that queen and Kings of England have for the Armed Forces is evident from the fact that today also the sons of the family join for services in Armed forces and they treated just as another soldier or sailor or airmen and see in India who of the Politicians have sent their sons or daughters to the Armed Forces ? None. One of the Minister in Bihar had commented that men in Armed Forces are paid to die and what is there to be worried about it? But thank God that we still have the unity in the ranks. It is not RSS that has kept the India United as many politicians from their party say but it is Armed Forces that has kept the India united. Most surprising that PM Modi never came to meet these ex-servicemen while they are on the street.Thanks for the article, Sir. 
• Arun Chadha The Government of India is playing with fire with eyes wide shut. It is a typical case of "Aa bail mujhe maar". We are surrounded by military regimes or controlled by military in our neighborhood viz Pakistan, China, Mynamar. Indian government , the trioka of Modi, Jaitly and Parrikar are trying very hard to push this country into abyss and our countrymen with typical attitude of "this is our destiny or God has willed it like this" are blissfully unaware or unwilling to stop the downslide into bottomless pit. 
• Col Bimal N Bhatia This is very well articulated. Sadly the Indian public remains unaware of the subjugation the Defence Services bear as a result of bureaucratic arrogance. This sense of relative 'superiority' of the IAS remains unchecked by the wily politicians. Frightful are the consequences for India if this is allowed to continue. Public opinion about the Services is sadly formed by manipulated political pronouncements and misleading headlines, all to the detriment of national security and development. Thankfully the IAS has a section of highly responsible and understanding officers, but that remains just a minuscule minority and largely ignored. Perhaps an agitation of the present kind was long in the making. Milk takes time to boil but spills over suddenly. We are warned. 
• Col A R Prabhakar A very measured and kid gloved message . People who matter have to understand that kid gloves may turn into iron fists. I personally feel that the sub- venue of the ongoing OROP needs to be opened at Patna and a few more places in Bihar to bring out the true character of Mr Modi, Mr Jaitley , Mr Parrikar and the Babus in Delhi. Here is a PM who promised the OROP to win and become the PM, here is a Finance Minister who lost elections and yet became a very strong Minister , here is Mr Parriker who does not know that there is No VRS , But Premature retirement for army personnel, which may be granted or not granted, showing his hollow knowledge about the ministry he is heading. The govt had to announce something before the announcement of Bihar elections and they have done it. However, they have put so many red herrings in its implementation that it will be post Bihar elections that they will ever look at the veterans again and till then the 7th Finance Commission would have given its recommendations , which may be at conflict with what is being demanded , what has been announced and what the next year has in store for the grey haired ,frail widows and 'katora' wielding ex servicemen atNew Delhi railway station. What has been done is only a ploy at the insistence of RSS to buy time to win BIHAR.125 lac crores for votes is a sudden found love for Bihar and 8300 crores is what is going to hurt the economy of India , just because faujis are not a vote bank in any or many constituencies any where in India. If that be so why are we not showing our strength in Bihar to thwart the designs of the ruling class in Delhi for the backstabbing of veterans. 
• Indian A very timely, thought provoking article, something many people have been thinking and saying for some time now. It seems Netas and Babus are as usual short sighted and selfish. They are unable to see the harm OROP dispute is doing to the psyche of the armed forces personnel. Sending in police to beat up armed forces personnel was the natural outcome of a thought process which do not give a damn about the nation. It is interesting that police was not used to lay mats for 'yoga jumla' but was used to beat up the jawans. There is also a very wrong and dangerous perception of our rulers ( political and beaurocracy) that armed forces will never rebel. They may never but dissatisfaction is harmful enough. Leaders should stop playing politics with OROP issue. 
• sec500001 As a civilian I would venture to say that the trust is already gone. At least covertly. Look how the Govt. has tried to delete the retirees from OROP. The defense Minister read what was given to him by the PMO which says early retirees are not eligible. Next day Modi says they are eligible. But the total amount quoted by both of them remains the same. Whom to believe? Veterans have no trust even in the PM's statement. That is why veterans want it in writing. 20 days are over and no written clarification from the govt. 
• ksmat Good article. I would add that in the services ones word is a commitment, a bond. When a junior says he will do something, the senior knows that this will be done, come what may. So, the service person is even more disillusioned when successive governments have made commitments to announce OROP - what did they get instead? A changed definition, changed implementation dates, attempts to sow discord, a news blackout, attempts to stop people for coming for the 'solidarity rally' I am afraid that the cost will be high and the whole country will suffer because of this. 
• Nayan  ksmat  If I may add the damage will be unquantifiable. The day a soldier starts talking in a language a "TOPIWALLAH" understands that day will be a very sad day for the nation. 
• Shreekumar Menon  WHY THE DIFFERENCE Mr. ARMYMAN The Army should stop behaving ‘differently’. 
• The OROP events have brought to the fore the general public’s question, “What is different with the Army?” I’d say “Nothing Sir”. 
• Just put them on the same pedestal. Like the Paramilitary and Central Police forces (hereinafter referred to as CAPFs) the Army should also be pulled back in War. Since the CAPFs and Army are being equated let that be so in all respects. 
• a) Retirement age of all ranks of the Military to be at 60 years. 
• b) All allowances at par with CAPFs 
• c) Permit Associations while in Service 
• d) In war Army should only do the tasks of the Paramilitary. The tasks of the Army can be outsourced. 
• Then we have the Teachers who are also doing a great Service to the Nation. So like Teachers let the Army also: 
• a) Work 8 hours and take up part time jobs like tuitions which in army stipulates would be Arms sales etc.b)like the Teachers if the Student is good he progresses so for the Army man if the Enemy is weak we win--- else just too bad, the nation can be a Dropout. And, the life saving Doctors and the paisa wasool bankers. 
• a) The Army should also be permitted to Strike like them. So what if a couple of critically ill patients die or in Military parlance so what if the enemy attacks? 
• Or, if a bank strike cripples the economy by thousands of Crores? After all the Ardh sainiks can handle that. 
• What about the Babus, Mister or Madam Indian. They may be the worst in Asia and one of the Worst in the world yet paid the best salaries. Here we will not discuss the horrible word ‘Graft’ since after all a family Below Poverty level should easily afford to pay Rs 500 on an average as Graft. 
• Maybe Rs 10000 Crores from the rest of the Country.
• So why should the Army man quibble over some 8000 crores over OROP when if he was at par with the babu he may be able to earn more. After all our Dear Mr. 
• PM says that Veterans should thank the poor for OROP since the Babu would be wary that his graft may be reduced. 
• So, Dear Army man, be an Indian --- A Teacher, Doctor, Babu or a banker. After all if they want to be like you should also be decent enough to reciprocate and wanna be like ‘em. 
• And OMG! Forgot about Convicts? Surprisingly Babus in connivance with Presstitutes masquerading asProfessors and financial Pundits have not primed Convicts to ask for Armystatus in newspapers with tags like ‘Financial, ‘Economic’, Express’ and ‘Times’? 
• Mehta OROP is a scam and the methods adopted to extract it from the Govt disgraceful. Some soldiers retire early and deserve to be taken care of but how many generals retire early. On what basis are they demanding OROP?
• (Source- The Tribune)