Date: 10 Mar 2011
PRESS RELEASE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ PEEVED BY CONTINUOUS NEGLECT BY GOVT, DEFENCE VETERANS \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ HELD VISHAL RALLY AT JANTAR-MANTAR NEW DELHI ON 06TH MAR 2011 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Dear Members of the Media, \\\\\\\\\ 1. Peeved by the continuous neglect, apathy, and non acceptance of their demands, the main being the One Rank One Pension (OROP), the defence veterans including widows of the martyrs held a Vishal Rally at Jantar-Mantar New Delhi on 06th Mar 2011. Not only, they were anguished and angry but were deeply hurt on the negative attitude of the Govt towards the affairs of the Defence Personnel. How long the Govt wants us to be on the streets sitting on dharanas? They resolved to continue their struggle PAN India till the Govt sees the reason and accepts their demands. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 2. The Vishal Rally was attended by over 6500 Defence Veterans, and their family members including 105 widows of the martyrs who had come from 16 states of the country ie Punjab, Haryana, UP, HP, Uttarkhand, J & K, Rajasthan, MP, Jharkhand, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Delhi NCR, AP, TN, Karnataka, Kerala. 3800 medals were voluntarily deposited by the veterans and 3000 voluntarily signed memorandum to the President in their blood. The veterans marched in threes for approx 3 Kms in Connaught Place area in a most disciplined manner. The placards carried by them and slogans renting the area demonstrated all for which they had gathered. The police witnessed entirely different conduct than they were generally exposed to in various other Protest Rallies. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 3. A large number of veteran representatives from various States expressed their views on their demands of OROP, non enhancement of widows pensions, serious anomalies in their pensions, non implementation of over 3600 judgments which went in their favour out of the 4000 cases filed in toothless Armed Forces Tribunals in the last one years, the Govt not even, honouring the Supreme Court ruling to establish Armed Forces Grievances Redressal Commissions, non enhancements of Hony Rank pensions, reservists pensions, large unacceptable gap in pensions of over Rs 14000 in Maj and Lt Col and over Rs 9800 gap in Maj Gen and Lt Gen, the list of injustices was never ending. They were rather surprised as to why the Govt is not listening to their tale of woes? They expressed that they felt cheated by the Govt. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 4. The following important resolutions were unanimously passed by raising hands by all attendees with words “Jai Hind” and – Yes, renting the air:- \\\\\\\\\\\ (a) They will continue with their struggle till their demands are met. \\\\\\\\ (b) They will not only not take back the medals already deposited with the president but will continue to deposit the same in future. \\\\\\\\\\\\ (c) They will bring back medals if President did not receive this herself. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (d) The parties in power in the States would be requested to support their demand of OROP and have a resolution passed in their State Assemblies. If they did not do so, the Party in power in the State will have no right to ask for their ‘Votes’ in any future elections. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (e) The party in power at the Centre if it does not accept the demand of OROP will have no right to ask for their votes in any future election. \\\\\\\\\\\\ 5. The above resolutions will be given wide publicity throughout the country to unite all Defence Personnel, their members of the family and their supporters to demonstrate the power of their Votes if Govt understands these criteria of acceptance of their genuine demands. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 6. Some of the photographs of the Rally are enclosed. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 7. You are requested to carry this important news in your esteemed paper/magazine. \\\\\\\ With Regards, \\\\\\\\\ Yours Sincerely, \\\\\\\\\\ Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement Mobile: 9312404269, 0124-4110570 Email: satbirsm@gmail.com \\\\\\\\\\\\ REPORTS OF THE RALLY COVERED BY NEWS PAPERS IS GIVEN ON NEXT PAGE 000000000