Monthly Archives: August 2018

AMRITSAR/FEROZEPUR: For the second successive year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today celebrated Diwali with troops, visiting military installations associated with the 1965 Indo-Pak war where he praised their “valour and character” and promised “foolproof” implementation of One Rank, One Pension for war veterans.

Against the backdrop of the continuing protests by several ex-servicemen over OROP, PM Modi said it was for the first time that the government, while notifying its decision to implement the scheme, had also set up a commission to ensure there are no shortcomings in the process.

“It is a foolproof arrangement,” he said.

PM Modi paid surprise visits to three military installations close to the Indo-Pak border – the Dograi War Memorial in Khasa, Asal Uttar Memorial near Valtoha and Barki War Memorial in Ferozepur district, and interacted with the troops.

At the Dograi War Memorial in Khasa in Amritsar, he placed wreath at the venue of one of the toughest battles fought and won by Indian forces on September 22, 1965.

He also laid a wreath at the Asal Uttar Memorial near Valtoha on the Amritsar-Khem Karan road in Punjab and at the tomb of Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid, a Param Vir Chakra recipient.

PM Modi said that during the Asal Uttar battle in 1965, Hamid single handedly destroyed three enemy tanks and helped stop their offensive, in spite of being mortally wounded.

Asal Uttar Memorial marks the Battle of Asal Uttar, which was one of the largest tank battles fought within Indian territory in 1965.

PM Modi also met soldiers at the Barki War Memorial, about 98 km from Khasa, which was constructed in 1969 to perpetuate the memory of soldiers of the 7 Infantry Division who made the supreme sacrifice on the battle field in 1965 war.

केंद्र सरकार ने पूर्व सैनिकों को दिवाली का बड़ा तोहफा दिया है। सरकार ने शनिवार रात वन रैंक वन पेंशन (ओआरओपी) को लागू करने की अधिसूचना जारी कर दी।

योजना एक जुलाई 2014 से अमल में आएगी। हर पांच साल में पेंशन की समीक्षा की जाएगी। इसके लागू होने से करीब 25 लाख पूर्व सैनिकों और सैनिकों की विधवाओं को फायदा होगा। रक्षा मंत्री मनोहर परिकर ने शुक्रवार को ही कहा था कि दिवाली से पहले अधिसूचना जारी कर दी जाएगी।

अधिसूचना के मुताबिक, पेंशन का आधार वर्ष 2013 ही होगा। 2013 में रिटायर हुए सैनिकों की अधिकतम और न्यूनतम पेंशन के औसत के हिसाब से नई पेंशन तय की जाएगी। इसमें समान रैंक और सेवा की समान अवधि का भी ध्यान रखा जाएगा। बकाया राशि (एरियर) का भुगतान चार बराबर छमाही किश्तों में किया जाएगा।

हालांकि सैनिकों की विधवाओं को एकमुश्त बकाया राशि का भुगतान कर दिया जाएगा। इसमें महत्वपूर्ण यह भी है कि अब के बाद जो सैनिक अपनी मर्जी से रिटायरमेंट लेंगे, उनको ओआरओपी का लाभ नहीं मिलेगा।

by Anurag Bende

PUNE: In the city for the NDA passing out parade, naval chief admiral confirmed that the proposal is being discussed with the MoD

Women officers serving in the Indian Navy may soon be following in the footsteps of their counterparts in the Indian Air Force and participate in combat roles, after Indian naval chief admiral RK Dhowan on Saturday stated that such a proposal has been taken up with the Ministry of Defence.

Dhowan was at the National Defence Academy (NDA) as parade reviewing officer for the 129th course’s passing out parade (PoP) on Saturday.

He said, “The Indian Navy is proud of its women officers and they are doing a fine job. As far as including them in combat roles is concerned, the issue has been taken up with the Ministry of Defence and the proposal is under consideration.”

When asked about gender bias in the Indian Navy, however, Dhowan was quick to retort, “There is no gender discrimination in the force. Women are already working in key positions such as observers in aircraft, at air traffic control and are doing a wonderful job. We are working on providing the necessary infrastructure on our ships and once this is achieved, we will see women playing even more important roles.”

Dhowan also stated that the Indian navy is working closely with fishermen for better information to make the country’s coastline safer. “India has a huge coastline, spread over 7,516 km. We have four million active fishermen and over 14 million people are from the fishing community. We are working on sensitising these fishermen, so that they can become our eyes and ears in the ocean.”

These steps are considered to be important considering that the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks had come to the city via the sea. Also, last December, a boat, allegedly from Pakistan and filled with explosives, had exploded after the coastguard intercepted it near Porbandar. Even in April this year, the coastguard seized a huge haul of narcotics from a boat also intercepted near Porbandar, in which eight crew members were arrested.

Dhowan said that every single village along the coastline has been mapped by the navy. “Officials are interacting with fishermen in their local language to gain their confidence,” he added.

Dhowan also informed that the international fleet review (IFR) 2016 will be held at Vishakhapatnam from February 4 to February 8 next year, in which the naval forces of around 50 countries will be participating. “We are geographically separated, but united by the ocean. There will be all kinds of exercises and operational demonstrations at the review,” he said.

Gagandeep Singh
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, November 26
It is going to be a year tomorrow since Lance Naik Kulwinder Singh of Gakhlan village got martyrdom, the widow of the soldier is still waiting for the fulfilment of promises, including naming of the village school after the soldier and constructing a gate in his memory, made by government representatives.
Speaking to Jalandhar Tribune, Rajbinder Kaur, wife of Lance Naik Kulwinder Singh, said: “During the bhog ceremony, the demand was raised by residents of the village to construct a gate in the memory of the martyr and naming a school after him. Government officials assured to provide funds for the same. However, it is going to be one year, nothing has been done in this regard.”
She claimed that an NRI body of the area also promised to provide an equivalent amount of what the Punjab Government would give. I have received Rs 9 lakh from the Punjab Government, but nothing has been given by the NRI organisation so far.”
“I have been provided with a job of a Class IV employee in the office of the Deputy Commissioner after 10 months of promise,” she said.
The woman, who had studied till Class XII and cleared a certificate course in stenography, said she had applied for a clerical job.
“I had contested my claim for at least a Class III job on compassionate grounds but the state government refused to accept my plea. Later, I got an appointment as a peon with the relief and resettlement branch,” she said.
Mohinder Singh, the sarpanch of the village, said: “In the presence of Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, and MLA Sarwan Singh Phillaur, the panchayat demanded for the construction of a village gate in the memory of the martyr and naming a school after him that was accepted by them.”
Representing 5 Sikh LI, Kulwinder Singh was one of the three Army personnel to be killed in the encounter last year.

AFT’S CHANDIGARH BENCH GRANTS WAR INJURY PENSION TO UTTAM SINGH FROM 1971 ONWARDS

CHANDIGARH: Uttam Singh, 75, who remained in Chinese captivity for 28 days after getting injured with three bullets during the 1962 conflict, has finally got his war injury pension after 44 years.
The Chandigarh bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) granted pension benefits from 1971 onwards to Uttam, who hails from Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. Uttam joined the army in 1961 as non-combatant and after training was posted at North East Frontier Agency (NEFA), presently known as Arunachal Pradesh.
In the 1962 war, he suffered bullet injuries on his right hand and left thigh. He was made prisoner of war (POW) by the Chinese forces along with many other soldiers. Uttam claimed before the AFT that he was subjected to inhumane atrocities during the period of captivity — from November 21, 1962 to December 18, 1962.
After the cessation of hostilities, the soldiers taken as POWs were handed over to the Indian military. All soldiers with bullet injuries were immediately taken to nearby military hospitals, including Tezpur. But Uttam Singh, who was dangerously ill, was immediately airlifted to Command Hospital in Lucknow where three bullets were removed from his body and his life was saved.is disability was declared to be 40 %. Uttam was classified as battle casualty and invalided out of the service on May 4, 1965.
THE LEGAL TUSSLE
Defence authorities first rejected Uttam Singh’s case as per the then existing rules for any kind of pension on the ground that he was engaged for a short-term duration and on completion of the same he was discharged from service . However, under the War Injury Pension Rules, which came in 1972 after the 1971 Indo-Pak, he was granted disability element of pension.
The War Injury Pension Rules were made applicable to all soldiers who were injured in all wars prior to 1971. But he was not given the war injury pension for his 40 % disability despite repeated representations, as claimed in the petition.

Finally, All India Ex-servicemen Welfare Association (AIEWA) took up his case. Chairman, AIEWA, Bhim Sen Sehgal, said, “He was only getting disability element. But those who suffered war injury remained entitled to war injury pension consisting of both service war injury elements. Now, there will be a five-time hike in Uttam’s pension, said Sehgal.

Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, November 22
The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), New Delhi, has issued notices to the Army authorities in Jammu and Kashmir after six convicts in the Machil fake encounter case challanged the verdict of the Summary General Court Martial (SGCM), which awarded life imprisonment to them.
The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, had in September confirmed life imprisonment awarded to Colonel Dinesh Pathania, Captain Upendra, Havildar Devendra Kumar, Lance Naik Lakhmi, Lance Naik Arun Kumar and Rifleman Abbas Hussain.
The six have been convicted for the killing of three youths in a staged encounter in the Machil sector of frontier Kupwara district on the night of April 29, 2010.
After the SGCM verdict, the six convicts approached the AFT, New Delhi, challenging the verdict. All of them moved separate appeals before the tribunal.
The convicts challanged the order of the SGCM on many scores like being arbitrary and against facts and figures. The AFT will scrutinise the order of the SGCM.
Five of the convicts are lodged in jail in their respective hometowns. Territorial Army man Abbas is lodged in jail in Jammu.
Notices have been issued to the General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Kupwara-based General Officer Commanding of the 28 Infantry Division and many top Army officers in the state by the AFT.
Riyaz Ahmad, Muhammad Shafi and Shahzad Ahmad of Nadihal-Rafiabad in Baramulla were lured by former Special Police Officer Bashir Ahmad Lone and his accomplice Abdul Hameed on the pretext of getting them high-paying jobs and later handed over to the Army for Rs 50,000 each.
The Tribune was the first to publish the story on November 13, 2014, that the SGCM convicted its men for killing three civilians in a staged encounter along the Line of Control in the Machil sector in 2010 and were later branded as foreign militants.

Wg Cdr JS Bhalla (retd )

MUCH before the Partition, we had settled down at Abdullapur, a small town, now known as Yamunanagar-Jagadhri. My father, a believer of Gandhian philosophy and simplicity, was a social worker who rendered enormous help to refugees (following the 1947 riots) who descended on the town by providing them temporary shelter.
My younger brother joined the family business after his postgraduation. Not satisfied with his career profile, he shifted to the banking industry. In 1976, a marriage proposal from an agriculturist and a landlord from Sunam was under discussion for him. This being the last wedding of the generation, there was much excitement and happiness, as it would be an occasion to attend numerous functions associated with such occasions.
One foggy winter morning, my parents and my brother drove to Sunam to meet the family. The girl’s house was the venue where both families met. My brother, who interacted with the girl, had the veto power to decide on the issue. He took no time to give a thumbs up to the proposal, as the girl was nice, fair and good looking. Sweets were exchanged as a sort of celebration for the formal announcement of the alliance. After a little while, my father announced that a simple wedding would take place the next day in the nearby gurdwara. Silence followed the abrupt announcement. The excitement subsided slightly. The girl’s parents took some time before reacting to this verdict. “Bawaji, how can we organise the wedding at such a short notice? We need time to intimate our relatives and the wedding attire for the girl is not ready,” her father replied. “Well, we humbly accept the girl in the clothes she is wearing,” responded Bawaji.
Realising that he would not relent, they reluctantly agreed to the simple wedding ceremony the next day in the gurdwara which was already preoccupied. The management was requested to adjust the programme for anand karaj. A vehicle was dispatched to Yamunanagar to fetch some clothes for the bridegroom. Overnight, a new attire was prepared for the girl by her family. The following day, with few members in attendance from both sides, anand karaj was solemnised. No roka, no dholki, no ring ceremony, no band-baja. The wedding was solemnised in the most simple and dignified manner.
My father’s trip to Sunam and returning home with the bride and groom the next day surprised everyone in the town. He dispensed with the tradition of a wedding spread over three days with numerous functions, pomp and show. Lavishness, which has become a way of life now, needs to be toned down by resorting to quiet and elegant weddings.

ARYANA FM REACTS TO FORMER PUNJAB CM’S LETTER TO UNION DEFENCE MINISTER, SEEKING ‘UNDILUTED’ OROP SCHEME

HANDIGARH: Reacting sharply to former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s letter to the Union defence minister demanding “undiluted” one rank, one pension (OROP) scheme, Haryana finance minister Capt Abhimanyu on Friday said that it would have been better had the former chief minister apologised on behalf of the Congress which “kept the ex-servicemen deprived of their rightful dues of OROP for over 43 years.”
Interacting with newspersons, Capt Abhimanyu hailed the BJP government’s decision on OROP as historical, which, he held, ended the injustice done to exservicemen under the Congress rule since 1972.
“There would be an additional annual expenditure of `7,500 crore on giving OROP to the 30 lakh families of ex-servicemen in the country. However, they would have got over `3.5 lakh crore in the past 43 years, had the Congress government implemented the OROP,” he added.esponding to queries on the ongoing protests by ex-servicemen against the OROP, Capt Abhimanyu held that they should instead take up all their issues with the judicial commission formed for the purpose. “There can be personal or political reasons behind such protests,” he said.
Regarding his meeting with Union minister of state for defence, Rao Inderjit Singh here on Friday, he said that they discussed the possibilities of setting up an industry of defence equipment in Haryana, besides other issues. On reports pertaining to his possible appointment as the deputy chief minister in Haryana, he refused to comment and said he found these as “figment of someone’s imagination”.

Tribune News Service
Jammu, November 13
Former Emergency Commission (EC) officers of the Army today demanded health scheme benefits as provided to other ranks of the armed forces.
Hundreds of Emergency Commission officers who joined the Army during the 1962 and 1971 wars from J&K are not covered under regular schemes of the Army.
Former Captain Sagar Chand Sharma alleged that the Ministry of Defence had been ignoring the demands of non-pensioner officers and they had been denied benefits of the health scheme.
“We fought in 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars along with other regular officers, but after the wars ended the then Congress government showed us the door from the Army without announcing any rehabilitation plan. Since then thousands of such officers have been suffering despite the fact that they fought for the nation,” said former Captain Sagar Chand.
The former Army officer claimed that during 1970s 7,000 Emergency Commission officers were discharged from the Army without any benefit and now most of them are very old and need medical help, but the Army had turned a blind eye towards them.

NEW DELHI: Armed forces veterans say they will today begin returning medals they have been awarded in service of the country, despite the government hurrying over the weekend to issue a notification on One Rank One Pension or OROP, their demand for many years.

The veterans say they are unhappy with the OROP package announced by the government, which has said pensions will be equalised every five years.

“The OROP notification violates the Parliament order, misleads people and is against national security,” Major General Satbir Singh (retd), who is leading OROP protests told NDTV today.

The ex-servicemen want pensions to be equalised every year. Also, the OROP notification says soldiers who opt for pre-mature retirement or leave the forces without completing their full term, will not qualify for OROP. The veterans oppose this.

Not all ex-servicemen are, however, joining the latest protest. The Indian Ex Servicemen League – one of biggest and oldest bodies – will stay away. “I don’t want soldiers to be involved in un-soldier activity. The dharna sends a wrong signal not only nationally but internationally as well,” Lieutenant General Balbir Singh (retd) of the league told NDTV.

General Singh said that returning medals “at this juncture,” could have political connotations and the military should stay away from that. The decision to return medals comes amid several writers, filmmakers and other artists returning prestigious awards to protest against what they call “growing intolerance.”

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar indicated that the government is in no mood to be pressured any longer. “In a democracy people can demand whatever they want, not everything can be met,” he said today.

On Sunday, in the final step to implement the scheme, the government notified OROP, which provides that armed personnel of the same rank will draw the same pension regardless of when they retired.

The announcement last week that the veterans would return medals was seen as a move to pressure the government into notifying OROP before Diwali as it had promised.