Reply to Maj.Gen.Satbir Singh ( Retd.) : Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans,

Find below the news got published by IESM in Today's Tribune and our reply given Maj.Gen Satbir Singh Retd.

Veteran Prabhjot singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Ex-servicemen to deposit medals with President .

Rajay Deep.Tribune News Service
Bathinda, March 7The recent statement of the Prime Minister in Parliament that recommendations regarding enhancement in pensions of jawans and JCOs have been implemented has created a flutter among members of the Indian Ex-servicemen (ESM) Movement.
Taking a strong exception to the statement, the vice-chairman of the ESM, Major General Satbir Singh (retd), said the reason as to why the PM made this “wrong” statement was beyond comprehension.
In an exclusive interaction with The Tribune here today, he said the way the PM brushed aside the issue of pensions of defence personnel by stating that the enhancement recommended by the committee had been implemented revealed that either the staff at his office had not correctly briefed him or the government itself was “indifferent” to their genuine entitlements.
“It is emphatically reiterated that the enhancement of pensions of jawans and JCOs as announced by the government in Parliament on July 6, 2009, and again announced by the Prime Minister on August 15, 2009, from the ramparts of the Red Fort for which Rs 2,140 had been earmarked to benefit 12 lakh ex-servicemen jawans and JCOs has not at all been implemented,” claimed Satbir Singh.
Accusing the system of damaging the morale of the ex-servicemen, he said, “It is a sad reflection of the government’s attitude that 22,000 prestigious medals have been returned to the President by ex-servicemen on six different occasions to express their anguish. Still, the government continues to ignore their main demand of one-rank-one pension.”
“Witnessing the callous attitude of the government towards our problem, we are going to intensify the protest. Ex-servicemen from all states will deposit their medals with the President for the seventh time on March 14 along with a memorandum signed in blood to express deep anguish over the apathy of the government,” said Satbir Singh.
“This is not the only pain. The President is not even granting audience to a delegation of the movement, who have been leading the protest to secure justice for defence personnel,” he alleged.

Dear Veteran (General ) Satbir Singh ji,
Regards. We thank you for the efforts you are making to highlight the discrepancies ( relating to JCOs. and below) in implementing the recommendation of CoS report through Hon,ble BJP leader , Sh. L. K. Advani who has been kind enough to make OROP a hot topic in the highest forum of the country,though belated,as he took no notice of the same issue when he was sitting on treasury benches. At the same time, your own body i.e. IESM has also ignored and opposed announcement of Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs. and below. Still it is never too late and we are thankful to you for the same.
Now I would request you to be kind enough to use your good offices to advise your organization not to opposite the recommendation of Parliamentary Standing Committee in respect of deploying Sahayaks in Army which has created much heartburn among the soldiers during the last six decades of Independence.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
President,
Ex Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (Regd.)
Mob.098554-09128, Tele-fax 0175-5000896.

Veterans (JCOs. and below ) now, certainly, have a reason to rejoice : Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear veterans,
Find below the reply given by Hon,ble Prime Minister to the
BJP leader Sh L.K. Advani in response to his remarks on
ONE RANK ONE PENSION. It is neddless to mention here
that the delay in releasing the notification in respect of
Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs and below, in the
concerned deptt., was certainly at the behest of some big
brothers , still having their sway in MoD. They never
supported this clause of CoS report for self interests as
they were not included in this knowing well that they
have already got the benefit of improved Pension
( 10-10-1997 ) back in year 1998.

Now the Prime Minister has cleared every doubt about
Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs and below

Veterans may, please, note that those big brothers are
now opposing the abolution of Sahayiks in Army which
the Govt. has decided to implement on the advice of
Stress Management Committee.

Manmohan gives it back to Advani.
Aditi TandonTribune News Service
New Delhi, March 5.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today
gave it back to BJP leader LK Advani who had, day before
yesterday, accused the UPA of failing on various counts,
including the foreign policy front.
Today, it was Manmohan Singh’s turn to counter attack,
and he did so well, mentioning Advani four times in his
long speech. The first reference to the BJP leader came in
context of farmers’ suicides. While Advani had accused
the government of putting money into the hands of banks
instead of farmers’ in the name of debt waiver, the PM
rejected the argument, saying the UPA had been very
sensitive to the issue and had done everything possible to
solve the agrarian crisis.
“It had been said that the loan waiver scheme has not
helped farmers and it helped only banks. Nothing can be
farther from the truth. It is surprising that we forget that
nearly Rs 70,000 crore that was recoverable from farmers
was not recovered,” he said.

The PM further countered Advani on the latter’s
accusation that the UPA had not implemented
one-rank, one-pension scheme. The committee
formed for the purpose never recommended one
rank one pension. It asked to enhance the
pensionary benefits of personnel below officer rank
and commissioned officers. This was accepted,” said
the PM, adding that out of the seven recommendations
of the committee, five have been implemented and
two will,soon, be implemented.

The most important clarifications the PM gave to Advani
today pertained to the latter’s demand to recall India’s
black money stored in foreign banks and the accusation
that the government was acting under US pressure.
On the black money front, the PM said 20 countries and
jurisdictions had been prioritised for entering into
agreements regarding exchange of information and
assistance in collection of taxes.