Ex-servicemen Staged Demo
Ex-servicemen staging a demonstration in Coimbatore on Tuesday against the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. As many as 300 ex-servicemen, some with their spouses, joined a silent protest here on behalf of the Indian Ex-services League (IESL) to show their resentment against the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.The Coimbatore coordinator of the IESL, Lt. Col. (Retd.) S.K. Menon, said the ‘Movement for Justice to Defence Services’ was to press for certain demands and removal of certain anomalies in the recommendations. “The recommendation is heavily biased against the soldier. It shows complete lack of knowledge of the working environment. The issues can only be resolved by constituting an armed forces pay review board with representation from the ex-servicemen, among others. All committees to resolve problems of soldiers consist of bureaucrats who have no knowledge of the military. The military service pay of working personnel and ex-servicemen should be enhanced,” he said.
The other demands included ‘one rank one pension’, resettlement or lateral induction of veterans, treatment of war disabled on a par with martyrs in terms of ex-gratia returns, etc. Quoting from a letter addressed to United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, he said: “While the civil services and the Government machinery have many a time failed the people, it is the Armed Forces that have always stood the test of time. Why cannot a Government that can waive loans to farmers chip in a fraction of that amount to retain the dignity of the saviours of the nation?”
“Serving personnel cannot protest. But, that does not mean the resentment cannot be expressed. The members of the IESL feel that the Commission has treated both the serving and veterans unfairly. A special committee has now been constituted to review the Commission report. How that is going to be favourable is to be seen. Our next protest is being planned for July 6. We will continue to fight the cause till our demands are met,” Lt. Col. Menon added.
