Monthly Archives: August 2018

1. *Project Veer Gatha 3.0* has been launched by Ministry of Def with collaboration of Ministry of Education under the Gallantry Awards Portal. An interaction will be carried out between Gallantry awards winner and School student by 31 Aug 23.

2. SOP of Project Veer Gatha 3.0 is below.

3. Interested awardees are requested to drop their details in personal msg (whatsapp) as below mentioned format :-

(a) IC No
(b) Name
(c) Rank
(d) Award
(e) Unit
(f) Stn Name
(g) Mobile No

4. Thank you sir.

Jai Hindi Sir

Regards
Col Veterans

VEER GATHA Pdf

The IAF contingent that departed for Egypt. This is for the first time that the IAF is taking part in the exercise. Photo: Defence Ministry

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 27

An Indian military contingent will participate in an exercise involving 34 nations being conducted in Egypt. An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent departed today. Called the ‘Bright Star-23’, this is a biennial exercise being held in Cairo.

This is for the first time that the IAF is taking part in the exercise which will also see participation of contingents from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Greece and Qatar. The IAF contingent will consist of five MiG-29 jets, two IL-78 planes that can refuel the jets mid-air, two C-130s and two C-17 aircraft. Personnel from the IAF’s Garud Special Forces will participate in the exercise. The IAF transport aircraft will also airlift approximately 150 personnel from the Indian Army.

Egypt’s armed forces announced that some 8,000 troops from 34 countries were expected to participate in the two-week exercise. The aim is to enhance military cooperation and combat common threats and risks, according to an Army statement.

The IAF today said the objective of the exercise was to practice planning and execution of joint operations. Besides leading to the formation of bonding across borders, such interactions also provide a means to further strategic relations between participating nations.

India and Egypt have an exceptional relationship wherein the two jointly undertook development of aero-engine in the 1960s.

Former Western Army Commander Lt Gen SS Mehta (Retd), who commanded a tank squadron that rolled into Dhaka as a greenhorn, remembers the epic battles beyond the brief

ormer Western Army Commander

It is now only a four-hour journey by road but 50 years ago, the Akhaura to Dhaka march that redrew the map of South Asia and rewrote its military history took us 13 tumultuous days. After a brilliant 72-hour operation at Akhaura, the enemy’s formidable stronghold — defended by a battalion of their elite 12 Frontier Force and elements of 12 Azad Kashmir, supported by tanks, artillery and air service — wilted, and whatever was left of them were in retreat.

The credit for this remarkable victory goes to 311 Mountain Brigade Group, commanded by Brig RN Mishra. The operation was a brilliant success, with 4 Guards, commanded by the dashing and inspirational Lt Col Himmeth Singh, infiltrating the enemy lines, and the lead company, commanded by Maj Chandrakant Singh, repulsing a counter-attack of infantry and tanks. Maj Chandrakant earned an instant Vir Chakra for his brave leadership.

As a young Major, I was in command of 5 Independent Armoured Squadron (63 Cavalry), equipped with PT-76 tanks. In early November, the squadron had been ordered to assist the 61 Mountain Brigade in infiltrating behind Lalmai Hills in Comilla, 63 km west of Agartala. We had done all the reconnaissance and coordination to execute the operation but, after a change in plans on November 28, the squadron was tasked to move with the infiltrating column with 4 Guards on the night of December 1. We had no time to reconnoitre and gather terrain and enemy obstacle layout along our route. It was therefore no surprise that on the night of our infiltration, we were caught in a cleverly laid anti-tank ditch on the fringes of Akhaura. 4 Guards, ahead of us, was wading through deep slush. A ditch is no obstacle for the infantry but for the tanks, it is designed to separate the infantry from the tanks.

After a night spent in recovery under intense enemy artillery fire, and faced with a relentless assault from the sky by the enemy Sabre jets next morning, we recovered in time to assist 18 Rajput, commanded by the gallant Lt Col Ashok Verma, in a successful day attack on the enemy defences guarding the Akhaura railway station. Earlier, a masterful frontal closing-in operation by 10 Bihar, commanded by the ever-cheerful Lt Col PC Sawhney — with lethal fire support provided by 65 Mountain Regiment, ably led by Col DS Bahl, and with the 57 Mountain Artillery Brigade fire support under Brig Jangi Bawa — the enemy was pulverised. Attack by infiltration was an unorthodox plan. It worked. For us, the start could not have been more propitious.

The masterstroke of crossing the Meghna river bypassing ground opposition is a classic example of an operational manoeuvre exercised targeting the enemy mind. It created shock and awe, a term now fashionable in Western capitals. The prospect of a captured Dhaka galvanised everyone up and down the security establishment. It saw Team India at its historic best. Indira Gandhi’s statement — ‘Dhaka is the free capital of a free country’ — exemplifies 20th century’s most successful humanitarian intervention against genocide surmounting all odds

Routed Pak brigade on the run

The momentous fall of Akhaura triggered a hasty retreat by Pakistan’s 27 Infantry Brigade towards Meghna river. The tank squadron and 4 Guards were in hot pursuit. Having captured the enemy advance defences at Talashahar, 4 Guards were ordered to break contact with the enemy and assemble at Brahmanbaria in anticipation of a new task, as yet under active consideration. Breaking contact with a withdrawing enemy in battle amounts to having the enemy on the ropes, yet not delivering the knockout punch. However, this is where experience and military judgement take over. At the tactical level, such a direction seemed strange; however, at the operational level, as it later turned out, the stage was being set for a bigger blow — Dhaka.

18 Rajput and 10 Bihar continued their relentless drive towards the bridge. This reinforced the enemy perception that our objective was to capture the bridge intact. Both battalions reached within 300 yards of the bridge on the Meghna. Such speed, always necessary when in contact with the enemy, is an adrenalin booster. So it was. However, the demolished bridges and culverts delayed their redeployment. Our troops were soon beyond artillery range; besides, our Forward Air Controller, Flying Officer Shahid, had been injured and his communication equipment destroyed. With an SOS from 18 Rajput, my squadron detached from 4 Guards and joined the firefight. When we arrived, the battle was raging. The enemy brigade commander had launched a spoiling attack with infantry and tanks, supported by anti-tank guns. A melee ensued. My squadron lost three tanks in the firefight. One of them was led by my brave troop leader Lt Rajindar Mohan, who was hit by an anti-tank gun after he had silenced two of the enemy’s. He escaped with severe burn injuries. The enemy was neutralised by our joint action and their counter-attack fizzled out. Some Pakistani soldiers were killed, others escaped over the bridge, while a few got across on country boats. However, due to the ferocity of our pursuit and to prevent the capture of the Meghna bridge, the Pakistani general in command of 14 Division, Maj Gen Majid, ordered its demolition. Commanders, who leave their troops stranded across an obstacle and order its demolition, tell the story of panic in the enemy garrison.

The masterstroke

With the bridge blown, our Corps Commander, Lt Gen Sagat Singh, was at the proverbial dead end. History is replete with instances when in a battle situation there is an unanticipated pause — because of one’s own actions, or that of the enemy’s. The former gives you food for thought; the latter invariably provides you a fleeting opportunity. Our GOC could have chosen to defer the advance and draw comfort from having completed his assigned task. However, Sagat’s lifetime experience of combat told him otherwise. It served only to stoke the flame within him. For him, an opportunity beckoned. He had Dhaka in sight. He knew it was the strategic centre of gravity, the focal point — although it was beyond his brief. His experiences of the past intuitively brought a glint in his eye. He later described that day as the most exciting of his life. He could not let a brilliant opportunity go unaddressed. He knew what Dhaka meant in the larger scheme. He wagered on his intuition.

Sagat conferred with his Air Force commander, Group Captain Chandan Singh, and ordered a battalion to be flown in helicopters across the Meghna for the march to Dhaka — this later came to be known as the ‘Helibridge over the Meghna’. The battalion was 4 Guards. There was some murmur about ground fire, to which Chandan retorted: “I will be in the leading chopper.” That provided closure to the debate. The heli-lift of 4 Guards was Air Force’s golden moment. 110 Helicopter Unit under Squadron Leader CS Sandhu’s leadership, supported by a band of brave young pilots, worked with precision and a tireless turnaround schedule. They positioned the battalion across the Meghna: a feat nonpareil.

Next, I was ordered to take my tanks across the Meghna. The Soviet-made PT-76 tank was designed to cross European rivers, which are generally 200-300 metres wide. In comparison, the Meghna was almost like a sea and in the midst of the battle and when ordered to cross it, to me, it seemed like an ocean! I could not see the other bank. However, my GOC’s intent was set in stone and when he asked me whether we could cross the river, my reply was in the affirmative.

Having said that, I was not sure of the ‘how’ part of the operation. I was a greenhorn and thank God for it! Greenhorns get smitten by commanders whose reputation and charisma settle for nothing less than the best. My answer had to be a ‘Yes sir’; and so it was. The speed of the water current in the Meghna was in double digits in knots. I don’t know exactly what it was, but I could see the flow was very swift. As the rivers get closer to the Bay of Bengal, they pick speed and the current is much stronger than what the PT-76 tanks could negotiate in a near perpendicular crossing across two banks, which is often the battle requirement when the opposite bank is held. Fortunately, in our case, the far bank was not held by the enemy. Anticipating that I would have to exit downstream of my entry due to the speed of the water current, I requested for a helicopter to do a reconnaissance of the river. It was granted. Not satisfied with the first sortie, I asked for a second sortie and that too was approved. In the meantime, my troop leader, Lt Raj Khindri, assisted by the locals, had reconnoitered the home bank and found a marsh-free entry route into the river. My aerial sorties helped me to mark out small islands in the river which would allow me to make short hops. The entry and exit points to the islands were laterally separated by miles. My idea was to move from island to island — island hopping, as it were. We hopped countless times and crossed.

Team India

The masterstroke of crossing the Meghna bypassing ground opposition is a classic example of an operational manoeuvre exercised by a military commander targeting the enemy mind. It created shock and awe, a term that has now become fashionable in the Western capitals. The prospect of a captured Dhaka galvanised everyone up and down the security establishment. It saw Team India at its historic best. It led to the march of a column, infantry, tanks and guns straight into the heart of the centre of gravity. Further, as part of the teamwork at Delhi and Kolkata, 2 Para, commanded by the daredevil Lt Col KS Pannu, was on standby to paradrop at Tangail with a column of 1 Maratha under Lt Col KS ‘Bulbul’ Brar gliding down from Tura in Meghalaya for a link-up. The Navy was punishing Karachi with missiles from ships, accompanied with Petya Class frigates. The Air Force, master of the skies in the East, having successfully flown an infantry battalion across the Meghna, was targeting the Government House at Dhaka where Pakistani options to surrender or fight till the last were perhaps under discussion. At that stage, we did not know which of the two options was finding favour. Leaflets were dropped over enemy emplacements, in which Pakistani soldiers were exhorted to surrender lest they should fall into the hands of those they had tormented — the unfortunate Bengalis of East Pakistan.

Behind the scenes, the staff were busy — Maj Gen Jacob in Kolkata was deliberating the Terms of Surrender. Lt Gen Jagjit Aurora at his HQ in Kolkata, Lt Gen Inder Gill, the DGMO, and COAS Gen Sam Manekshaw were monitoring the battlefield and the developing global reactions. They were conscious that time was at a premium.

The intelligence agencies and the diplomats were tracking the Nixon-Kissinger threat of deploying the US 7th fleet into the Bay of Bengal. The trump card of the Indo-Soviet treaty, signed in August 1971, came into play and India was supported with repeated vetoes by the USSR at the United Nations Security Council. Our diplomats were also fighting Bhutto’s canards at the UN. The administrators were gearing up for a temporary governance structure in the captured territory of East Pakistan, till Bangladeshis themselves took over. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her colleagues held their nerve amidst intense rumours of intervention by the powers beyond.

This sort of seamless synergy is an assured recipe for success. There were tasks cut out and delivered on all fronts — military, diplomatic, political, strategic, operational and tactical. It is this synergy that enabled the capture of Dhaka after Sagat’s breathtaking Meghna river-crossing manoeuvre. I learnt early in my service that initiative is not only a trait, it is a duty.

Mukti Bahini

In 13 days, 75 million were rescued from possible genocide; it emphasised the totality of victory; shock and awe with little or no collateral damage; a historical moment to be recorded in the archives of military history in India, and across the world. It was a lesson in the inextricable linkages between grand strategy and conflict-termination objectives. Unless the two are co-terminus, victory remains but a mirage.

In 50 years since, we have witnessed numerous military interventions where the absence of appropriate, thought-out conflict-termination objectives has resulted in face-saving withdrawals. If Dhaka had not been addressed, and its surrender not achieved, one more mirage would have been added to this ever growing list.

The Mukti Bahini kept the wheel turning, keeping the momentum in our favour. In today’s age we talk about battlefield transparency rendered possible by sensors, radars, artificial intelligence and satellites. In 1971, battlefield transparency was, whenever possible, provided by the Mukti Bahini. Their presence and their will to fight for a just cause made an outstanding contribution towards the capitulation of the enemy before the Joint Command.

Indira Gandhi’s statement in Parliament — “Dhaka is the free capital of a free country” —- exemplifies 20th century’s most successful humanitarian intervention against genocide surmounting all odds

WAR DESPATCHES

Sidney Schanberg, the Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent of New York Times who rode into Dhaka with us, had this to say: “I don’t like sitting around praising armies. I don’t like armies because armies mean wars. But this (Indian) army was something. They were great all the way. There never was a black mark… I lived with the officers and I walked, rode with the jawans — and they were all great. Sure some of them were scared at first — they wouldn’t be human if they weren’t. But I never saw a man flinch because he was scared. There was a tremendous spirit in the Indian Army and it did one good to experience it.”

Sankar Sen

THE constabulary constitutes the base of the police pyramid. The duty hours of constables are long and their work can be frustrating and strenuous. The Police Commission, set up in 1902-03, had recommended that they should be assigned a mechanical role, wherein they would not be asked to exercise discretion or judgment. Over a century later, not much has changed. They are, by and large, still used as errand boys.

In my long career in the police, I witnessed acts of courage and presence of mind as well as leadership by constables. Back in 1979, the country witnessed a policemen’s strike. Their unaddressed grievances had triggered the agitation.

I was at that time posted as the range DIG at Rourkela (Odisha). Along with other officers, I organised an ‘Aalochna Sabha’ for the constables. They unburdened themselves and aired some of their long-pending grievances pertaining to compensatory allowance, housing and medical facilities. As the demands had long-term financial implications, the police authorities were in no position to redress them without the support and commitment of the state government.

Within a couple of days, policemen of various districts of the state stopped reporting for duty. Constables of the military police battalion stationed at Rourkela came out of the campus and staged a march in protest against the misbehaviour of the unit commandant. The commandant had grabbed a constable by the collar and admonished him in the parade ground. Seething with anger, the policemen gathered in the town and raised slogans. The District Magistrate and the SP came to my office and informed me of this unseemly development. They felt that as the seniormost police officer, I must persuade the protesters to desist from indisciplined conduct and slogan-mongering. I immediately left for the spot.

My initial efforts to pacify the constables by promising to look into their grievances and initiating disciplinary action against the errant officer were not successful. The SP, the ADM and the local MLA also failed to bring down tempers.

While I was in a fix, a young constable came to my rescue. He took up the cudgels on my behalf. In a clear, unfaltering voice, he admonished the constables for acting in a way that diminished public respect for the police and cast a cloud on police discipline.

This unexpectedly sharp reproof from a comrade had a calming and sobering effect on the angry group. They quietened a bit. Taking advantage of the situation, I again addressed them and promised a thorough probe, followed by corrective measures. I asked them to return to their campus. They listened to my exhortation and slowly trooped back to their barracks.

I now turned to congratulate the hero of the hour, who had displayed the finest qualities of a police officer as a crisis manager. Dignified and self-possessed, he clicked his heels and gave me a smart salute before gracefully walking away.

Lt Gen Raj Sujlana (retd)

I first landed at Leh on duty in 1976; nearly five decades later, I have arrived now as a tourist. Expectedly, the landscape has undergone astounding changes. The majestic flow of the Indus is still dominant throughout the valley, but gone is the ribbon-like cemented airstrip. In those days, mostly the Air Force’s An-12 flew in. The distant drone of an arriving aircraft was a morale-booster, especially for those proceeding home on leave, and others awaiting fresh supplies, letters from home, newspapers and magazines.

When we used to deplane, the engines were not switched off as restarting was often problematic. We used to be welcomed by a blast of fresh, chilly wind. Landing by a commercial flight now, with the niceties of air travel, it is a different experience to pass through a mass of fellow travellers. The chilly freshness is missing.

Roads have improved; the tiring three-day journey from Srinagar to Leh is possible even in a day. For the adventurous ones, the road from Manali, over high passes on to Upshi, has been thrown open. Both routes are jampacked as hundreds of light vehicles and gangs of motorcyclists race to and fro. Gone is the sleepy township of Leh with mostly small mud houses and a stretch of shops selling local artefacts. Leh has turned into a popular tourist destination with huge shopping complexes.

Decades ago, catering to the few tourists were mundane hotels selling local food, such as chang (their brew), salty gur-gur tea with yak butter, chhurpe, thupka, momos, etc. Now there are restaurants with an elaborate bill of fare. Surging crowds are everywhere. The cab driver sums it up aptly: ‘Looks like the entire country descends on Leh every year! Though the economy has improved, new problems are surfacing.’ Tell-tale piles of tourist rubbish are everywhere.

Wildlife is rarely spotted. Prominently missing is the marmot, that lovable rodent, and the red/yellow-beaked chough. Marmots were once seen behind nearly every rock on the higher reaches. They could stand on their hind legs and scoot away on sighting a human. Now, we arrive at Marmot Point. The experience is disturbing: a well-fed marmot is cosying up to the tourists, nibbling away at whatever is offered, including chips. I recall a meeting with Dr Salim Ali, the famous ornithologist who in 1976-77 came to observe the breeding ground of the black-necked crane and the bar-headed goose. Having spotted them, he replayed the recordings of their calls. What must his spirit be feeling now from its heavenly perch?

Gains from tourism seem to be going awry. The news of the cloudburst and the flooding of Leh sends out a major message and raises apprehensions. The disaster that Himachal Pradesh is facing is a good reminder to preserve the environment. Let not these words of poet Ujjal Mandal come true, ‘With intense rage in my heart, O mother, I must go across the seven Indus to reprimand the diabolic plunderer who stole my mother’s tender smile.’

1. Adjutant General’s Branch, Officers’ Record Office (ORO) has launched “AGRIM – Automated Grievance Redressal and Information Management” system which has automated the complete process of Grievances/Request Registration, Processing and Resolution including online transmission to PCDA(O) and PCDA(P). Veteran officers/ Nexts of Kin (NsoK) may register their grievances online in RODRA after login. Grievances received through other modes like emails, telephone calls, SMS, WhatsApp & visits etc are also converged and recorded in the Customised Resource Management (CRM) Software. Veterans & NsoK will be kept informed through periodic SMS on registration, process/ observation and resolution of their grievance. The upgradation in the Grievance Module will be beneficial to veterans/ NsoK by making the process of redressal transparent and providing real-time update wrt their service request/grievances. A Digitized Call Centre with 10 Channel Primary Rate Interface (PRI) Line has also been established at ORO to address the issue of connectivity being faced by veterans & NsoK. The Call Centre Number is 011-26757700. Veterans/NsoK are requested to make maximum calls on the given number for registration of their grievances on AGRIM for better management. However, existing and other new Helpline Nos i.e 011-20863044, 8130591689, 7683004983 and 8800352938 would also remain functional.

2. The above be circulated to all veteran officers and NsoK of Indian Army to make optimum utilisation of the services.

Jammu, August 27

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to visit Jammu on September 12 to take part in the North Tech Symposium-2023 in which latest technologies and equipment will be showcased. Singh is also expected to take part in a security review meeting and visit the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu division to review the preparedness of the troops.

Sources said the Defence Minister was also expected to focus on rising incidents of terrorism in Rajouri and Poonch besides the growing menace of drones from across the borders.

Defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said the North Tech Symposium is a technology showcase event which will provide a platform for the Army-industry participation with intent to interface directly with end user and creating awareness about contemporary technologies and equipment that can be exploited to meet operational and logistic requirements of the Northern Command.

“The event also facilitated structured approach for product evaluation, prioritisation and acquisition besides providing viable and actionable inputs for formulation of procurement plans,” the PRO informed.

The event will be held from September 11 to 13 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jammu. As many as 150 vendors are expected to participate in the event.

150 vendors may attend

More than 150 vendors are expected to showcase their military equipment in the three-day event beginning September 11.

Govt should kill all sr. citizens after the age of 65 because Govt is not ready to pay attention to these nation builders.This issue was raised in Parliament by Hon. MP Jaya Bachchan.

Is it a crime to be a sr citizen in India?
Sr citizens of India are not eligible for medical insurance after 70 years, they do not get loan on EMI. Driving license is not issued. They are not given any work, hence they depend on others for survival .They had paid all the taxes, insurance premiums upto the age of retirement ie 60-65. Now even after becoming sr citizens, they have to pay all the taxes. There is no scheme for sr citizens in India. 50% discount on railways has also been discontinued. The other side of the picture is that sr citizens in politics MLA, MP or Minister, are given every possible benefit and they also get pensions. I fail to understand why all others ( except some Govt employees) are denied the same facilities. Imagine, if the children are not caring about them ,where will they go. If the elders of the country go against the Govt in elections, it will affect the election results . Government will have to face the consequences.

Srs have the power to change the government, don’t ignore them. They have the life long experience to change the Govt. Don’t consider them weak ! So many schemes are required for the benefits of seniors . The govt spends a lot of money on welfare schemes, but never realizes about sr citizens. On the contrary, the income of sr citizens is decreasing due to reduction in interest rates of banks. If some of them are getting a meager pension to support the family & self, it is also subject to income tax. So sr citizens should be considered for some benefits :
1. All citizens above 60 must be given pension
2. Everybody must be given pension as per status
3. Concession in railway, bus & air travel.
4. Insurance should be must for all upto the last breath & premium must be paid by the Govt.
5. Court cases of sr citizens must be given priority for early decision.
6. Sr. citizens homes in every city with all facilities
7. Govt should amend the rule of scrapping 10 -15 yrs old used cars.This rule should be applied only for commercial vehicles. Our cars are purchased on loan & our uses are only 40 to 50000 km in 10 yrs. Our cars are as good as new one. If our cars are scrapped, then we must be given new cars.

I request all Sr citizens and youth to share it on all social media. Let’s hope that this government, who is sincere all the time and talks of *”Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas”* will do some for the betterment of those who have contributed in nation building and are now past their prime.

 Please share with your friends, sr citizens and well wishers

*

I will try and give a brief about the NFU Matter which is pending in the Hon’ble Supreme Court now since Apr 2017.
I had obtained a favourable Judgement from AFT on 23 Dev 2016 in OA No 802/2015 titled Col Mukul Dev Vs UOI against which the Govt appealed in Hon’ble Supreme Court in Apr 2017. The Govt was able to get a “Stay” on the Contempt Application filed by me in the meanwhile.
I vigorously pursued the case there also and the case was heard finally on 12 March 2019 very extensively, for 5 hrs, by the Bench of Hon’ble Justice Ashok Bhushan and Hon’ble Justice KM Joseph and the judgement was reserved. I was able to put across the arguments forcefully and was sure of a positive outcome. Normally the Hon’ble Supreme Court delivers the judgement in cases within max a month. However, the very next day i.e. on 13 March 19 itself, the Govt made a representation through an Advocate who is a Sr Counsel now and is Ex JAG Branch only, about a very mundane issue of the copy of the Appeal filed by the Govt having not been served to few Respondents. It was a very hyper technical issue which shouldn’t have been accepted. However, that Counsel, who is a known rogue character, “managed” to get the pronouncement of the judgement. The Govt eventually did not still serve the copies to the Respondents and it was me only who located all the unserved Respondents( Retired Armed Forces Offrs) and served them the copies at my personal cost which otherwise was the duty of the Govt.
However, the Govt managed to get the matter deferred on every subsequent date on some or the other pretext and finally both the judges, who heard our matter and had reserved the judgement Retired.
I am now in front of an absolutely new Bench of Hon’ble Justice JK Maheshwari and Hon’ble Justice KL Vishwanathan and I am required to again advance the full arguments from the scratch. This is the present stage.
Yesterday, the matter was again listed after I had filed for vacation of the Stay Order which the Govt is enjoying since 2017. The ASG deputed by the Govt, Mr Vikramjeet Banerjee again came up with an excuse that due to his some “personal difficulty” he was unable to argue and he sought an adjournment again, as usual.
I vehemently opposed any such adjournment and addressed the Bench myself to vacate the Stay Order so that the judgement can be implemented. It appears to me that the Bench has accepted my arguments and after checking their list of cases for 31 Aug 23, has fixed the date of 31 Aug 23 now. Let’s see what new excuse the Govt comes out with on 31 August 23.
I wish to clarify here itself that if I succeed in my endeavour, not only even a widow of an Offr who had passed away way back in 70s or 80s would be benefited but the disparity in between the Armed Forces Offrs and the other Group ‘A’ services would be removed forever. We are supposed to get even the arrears from 23 Dev 2013(Three years prior to the date of judgement). However, it is not the money for which the NFU is required to be given to us but it is for the parity and self respect that we are fighting for.
My sincere thanks to Col SS Rathee who is a great motivator and supporter in all such endeavours of mine. I am really grateful to him even for his logistical support in my this fight.

Col Mukul Dev