26 March,2009 09:03 AM IST | | Kumar Saurav
13,000 medals to be returned
In continuation with their long-pending demands including "one-rank, one-pension (OROP)", around 2,600 ex-servicemen of varying ranks will return 13,000 medals to the government on April 12. As a mark of protest, retired soldiers will organise a rally in the second week of April, under the aegis of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM).
"We will protest in a completely non-violent manner. We have planned a rally at Jantar Mantar," said Lt Genu00a0 (Retd) Raj Kadyan, the chairman of the All India Federation of Military Veteran's Organisation.
u00a0From Delhi and NCR Rtd Major General Satbir Singh, Rtd Maj Gen Ranjan and Rtd Col Bharadwaj will return their medals.
Retired soldiers are disillusioned with the government's cold response to their long-pending demands. "Till now, we haven't received any response from the government. We will continue to return medals. If the government can't respect the sacrifice of soldiers, it better face a retaliation," Kadyan said.
A delegation of ten people is working to collect the medals from soldiers. The medals will be collected from all over the country with special focus on Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and the metros.
The decorated officials first parted with their gallantry medals after the government didn't implement the "One Rank, One Pension" scheme. Among those who have already returned the medals are military veterans of the 1965, 1971 wars against Pakistan.
On February 8, 2,500 medals were returned by 500 soldiers; 3,500 medals were returned on February 21 by 700 ex-armymen and 7,500 medals were given back by 1,500 former armymen this year.
IESM had first demanded that there should be a representative of an ex-army men in the ex-servicemen commission, which is formed by the Defence Ministry. Second, for all personnel who retire early, there should be a resettlement scheme. Third, any government committee that deals with the interests of ex-armymen must consider its proposal through representation. And the most important demand was that there should be a one-rank one-pension scheme. The government hasn't considered any of these yet.
"At the first instance, we had four demands. Since the government didn't respond we have focused on the one-rank one-pension scheme," said Kadyan.
