” Devaluation of Sacrifice and the Death of the Moral Contract”
To
The Citizens of India,
The Military Leadership,
The Policy Makers of this Nation……
The recent decision to quietly terminate income tax benefits on disability pensions for all but “boarded out” cases is more than a policy shift; it is a wholesale retreat from honour. By narrowing the definition of those “worthy” of support, the government has effectively abandoned thousands of soldiers who sacrificed their physical well-being in the line of duty.
The justification often whispered in the corridors of power is “systemic misuse.” Let us be clear; if the system was exploited, it is an indictment of the Generals and the administration, not the rank and file. To punish a genuinely disabled soldier for a failure of oversight is a moral bankruptcy. If there are “scoundrels” who gamed the system, hunt them down. Strip them of their medals, revoke their benefits, and hold them accountable. But do not use the sins of the few as a pretext to plunder the rights of the many.
A soldier does not choose a disability. They follow orders into the heart of danger, enduring extreme conditions with absolute faith in their commanders and the organization. This faith is built on a sacred moral contract; the belief that if they fall, the nation will stand by them. Today, that contract is being shredded. To cite “administrative misuse” as a reason to dilute this bond is a cowardly act of governance. A SHAPE-1 soldier retires with the gift of health, mobility, and the prospect of a second career. A disabled veteran carries a lifetime of limitations. Taking away a few thousand rupees from these veterans in a country that routinely writes off staggering corporate debts and funds political freebies; is a perverse display of misplaced priorities.
We the veterans call for accountability, not retribution. We do not oppose reform.
We demand it.
•Fix the system.
•Identify the exploiters.
•Punish the lack of oversight.
But do not shift the burden of your institutional failure onto the bodies of those who have already paid the highest price. To do so is neither fair nor ethical; it is a betrayal of the uniform.
The silence of our own Generals on this matter is deafening. If the veteran community does not find its collective voice now, we are not just losing a tax benefit, we are losing the very soul of the military ethos. The nation is watching. History will remember whether we stood by our wounded, or whether we sold their sacrifice for the sake of a balanced ledger.
Respectfully,
(A Concerned Citizen & A Military Veteran).
Brig Satpal Singh Sidhu Patiala: My POV. Yes a retrograde n shameful act by the FM n Indian Govt. A breach of faith n trust.
1.When a person was placed in LMC P, did the govt give hi. An ultimatum/ choice asto why should he Not be sent on PMR, as he had limited utility for the service! No.
2.Were these persons asked to submit an appeal to be allowed to continue in service till superannuation. No.
3.Govt itself chose to retain them in service, to utilise their expertise, experience n knowledge, till they became No more useful due to old -superanuation- age.
3.If the Govt used their services to their full age what is the rationale to curtail their benefits midway, n not till the end of their life?
4.I agree, all is Not hunky dory with the system, it has been exploited by some. They should be identified n hunted down. Some examples:
A.Persons in LMC upgraded to S1, before their promotion boards; n downgraded after the promotion. Not once but many times. Complicity of AMC authorities should be investigated. This category would belong to a particular service!!
B.Persons who concealed their ailments all through their service- thru connivance with certain authorities- n chose to declare it in the last 3 to 6 months of their service, to reap benefits of this privilege. They would be seen to be among the highest Ranks.
Food for thought!!
