Rahul Gandhi, Cong vice-president

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today chose Diwali eve to subtly accuse the government of reneging on its many promises to the armed forces. He said the forces must be motivated not merely by words but also actions.In a letter to PM Narendra Modi today, Rahul cited a range of issues affecting the Indian armed forces including disability pension, one rank one pension, implementation of the 7th Pay Commission etc to say, “Our solders risk their lives each day to defend the nation and it is our duty to show them that we care for them and their families not only through our words but also through our actions.”Rahul said he was saddened that in the last few weeks, actions taken by the government — far from assuring the soldiers — have indeed caused them pain and hurt.“Just days after our soldiers conducted surgical strikes, the disability pension system was converted to a new slab system that, in many instances, drastically reduces the pension received by these brave men in case of a disability. The roll-out of the seventh Pay Commission continues to keep our defence forces at a disadvantage and further exacerbates the disparity between them and civil employees,” Rahul said.He also cited with concern that the government had now downgraded the status of military officers vis-a-vis other civilian counterparts in a letter dated October 18.“Finally, contrary to what was promised, one rank one pension as implemented by the government does not fully meet the genuine demands of our ex-servicemen. They have been forced to come out on the streets to make their voice heard on this vital issue,” he said.