Dear Veterans
IESM has been spearheading the fight for OROP since last eight years. In these eight years IESM gave a call against Government of the day as the MOD was reluctant to sanction OROP. Veterans were fighting for OROP but rather than giving us OROP, it was given to all other sections of Central Govt. Today all Central Govt class one employees enjoy OROP because of NFU and because their pension is calculated as half of REVISED pay of their scale (this is not applicable to veterans'), all judges of Supreme court and High court and all MPs and all MLAs. But veterans are still struggling for OROP.
Brig CS Kamboj VSM has very succinctly brought out the sequence of OROP struggle since last 40 years.
IESM has been engaging with MOD since 2008 for approval of OROP. In 2009 IESM gave a call against the Govt as the Govt was reluctant to release full OROP. IESM attended BJP rally On 15 Sept 2013 at Rewari as the then PM designate of BJP promised full OROP to veterans. Despite the fact that Congress released full OROP in 2014 vide MOD letter dated 26 Feb 2014, Veterans still favoured BJP and supported it in 2014 elections. NDA Govt was sworn in on 26 May 2014.
IESM engaged with MOD of NDA Govt in 2014-15 and held many rounds of talks with Def Minister but MOD dilly dallied and was hesitant to release OROP. IESM under the banner of UFESM JM started an agitation at JM from 15 June 2015 for release of full OROP. Rather than releasing full OROP, as was promised or as was released by previous UPA Govt, the NDA Government of the day manhandled and forcibly attempted to evict peaceful agitators from JM on 14 Aug 2015. Veterans were angered with this shameful attack by police and started fast unto death at JM from 16 Aug 15. Fourteen Veterans observed fast unto death at JM for 23 days. Finally MOD moved and released LANGRI OROP on 5 Sept 2016, which was highly watered down version of agreed formula of OROP with MOD by leaders of JM. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF THIS LANGRI OROP VETERANS' HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN FULL BENEFIT OF 7CPC AND ALSO THAT OF REMOVAL OF 33 YEARS RULE OF SERVICE. The Govt will release these benefits only in 2019, hence veterans have suffered financial loss for 3.5 years. Whereas rest of the Central Govt employees have enjoyed full benefits of 7CPC from 1 Jan 2016.
Again on 30 Oct 2017 Delhi police manhandled agitators at JM and detained our leaders including agitating women. Despite this the leaders at JM leaders maintained dignity of Military. Leaders at JM are always ready to talk but will not agree for only promises and Jumlas. It is noteworthy that anomalies of 6CPC have still not been corrected by Govt though these were projected by service Hq and veterans have also been requesting for just solution of these anomalies. Case of denial of Rank pay and disability pay is a glaring example to MOD shortchanging veterans. Veterans will note that veterans have to approach courts even to get our just authorisations and Govt of the day has been dragging us till HSC.
From the above it is amply clear that writing letters and sending representations do not move MOD to pay attention to litany of woes of veterans. Political leaders of all parties will only listen to veterans' only if we show our power of vote. LANGRI OROP had been released when veterans exhibited their unity and started agitation and Relay Hunger Strike at JM and fifty other locations across the country. Two delegations have met Def Min in last one year (First Chairman IESM and federation of ESM organisation met on 15 Nov 2017 and then a joint delegation ESM met under the leadership of Brig Kartar Singh on 27 Nov 2018 but no solution has been offered by MOD to the problems of veterans . MOD has not even resolved our basic problem and poor veterans are still knocking the doors of honorable courts for their pensions and other benefits.
Friends we have two alternatives to resolve our issues, first we keep writing to unresponsive MOD and keep waiting for years for the solutions (past experience shows it will never come) and second to resort to agitation and unite our vote power and force the political parties to take notice of veterans vote power and find speedy solution to their problems. IESM Gov Body has decided to follow the line of agitation to put across veterans' issues and to find suitable solutions.
IESM was formed with the aim that IESM will not sit back after writing letters and wait endlessly for solutions of veterans problems. True to its MOA, IESM had conducted rallies and even court arrested to take up veterans issue. IESM is convinced that only vote power of veterans (approximately 5 crores) will move the political leaders to approve OROP..
IESM has joined forces with other neglected groups of society (Kissans, youth of India,women power and many other gps) to start a big agitation at JM from 30 Jan 2019 to consolidate vote power. IESM will lead the agitation with a Maha Rally on 30 Jan 2019 Wednesday and thereafter each organisation will marshal its followers on subsequent days till it is culminated on 7 Feb. IESM believes that this will force political parties to take note and listen to the problems of affected organisations and they will be forced to find solution.
IESM requests veterans of Indian armed forces to join in large numbers for MAHA RALLY on 30 Jan 2019 at 1030h and thereafter every day to congregate in large numbers at JM at 1030h everyday. This agitation will be peaceful and will uphold dignity of Military as has been done for the last 1323. The issue of discipline has been discussed with the leaders of other constituents and they have promised to keep their cadre in control.
IT IS NOW OR NEVER JOIN IN LARGE NUMBERS FOR MAHARALLY AT 1030 H ON 30 JAN 2019 WEDNESDAY TO SHOW CASE VETERANS' UNITY.
VETERANS WHO WISH TO SUPPORT IESM AND DONATE FOR IESM MAY DO SO BY SENDING CHEQUES OR DEPOSIT FUNDS IN IESM ACCOUNT.
BANK DETAILS - IESM
Name of
Account:
Indian Ex Servicemen Movement
Account
No:
06162000001330
Name of
Bank:
HDFC Bank
IFSC Code (for e-transfer): HDFC 0000616
Postal Address of Bank:
SCO 34, DSC, Sector 23 A, Gurgaon
122017, HARYANA
Regards
Gp Capt VK Gandhi VSM
Vice Chairman IESM
OROP is our right. Dilution in OROP will NOT be accepted.