First things first. It is learnt that the Raksha Mantri has today made a statement
during Good Governance celebrations
that he has instructed the Ministry of Defence to minimize litigation in
pension matters. A good step, let us see how it pans out practically.
The price for my latest book “Maimed by the System” has
been slashed for the holiday period on Amazon India. The offer shall remain
valid from today till the First of January, 2015. The book is now available at
Rs 449 compared to the street price of Rs 580.
It is a non-commercial project and part
of its proceeds shall be used for the welfare of disabled soldiers and military
widows.
Reports and Reviews on the book can be accessed through these links:
A preview of the preface of the book is as follows:
PROLOGUE
Nishchay Kar
Apni Jeet Karon
Happy is the way to meet your burdens
No matter how heavy or dark the day
Pity on those with no hope for tomorrow
It's never as bad as it seems until we say
On this point of departure, let me iterate that it is
hope and triumph that this book embodies, not despair. In your hands is a
compilation of real stories of military personnel and their kin who had to put
up difficult and protracted battles with officialdom,
something they were clearly unprepared for, to claim their basic rights post
disability, post battle and many posthumously.
These are stories that highlight our callous
indifference to those who protect us. These are stories which ideally should
awaken those who symbolise the system and
also hold a fond hope that there would be no further need to publish another
such book. These are stories that need to be told.
It is ironic that the ones who are entrusted with
the duty of concern for the needs and requirements of our military veterans and
their kin have abdicated that responsibility, leading to a sense of extreme
discontentment and an unjust situation where benefits which should flow as a
matter of right, come at a price. The price is heavy, for it costs us our
national pride and faith in the system-
that system which should steadfastly
support those who serve it but has contemptuously chosen to stand in opposition,
putting a stumbling block in their every prayer.
That is not to say that there has not been support.
But the support which should emanate from within the system or from the public at large- the public which is quick to
render theoretical lip-service but not on-ground support, is lacking. The
support has only originated from judicial process and our media, both print and
electronic. But that is clearly not enough.
These stories are simple accounts of difficult
struggles that were eventually successful. These are real life chronicles of
people who fought the system and
succeeded. These are stories that eschew despair in the face of utter darkness;
these are stories that ought to be heard because these are stories meant to
inspire and not to deepen any sense of hopelessness.
Appended to these accounts is a section of Selected
Works containing my detailed and popular writings on subjects intertwined with
the central theme. These works already stand featured and published in various dailies,
blogs, periodicals and journals. In some stories, these are cross-referred.
More than any other institution, as mentioned in
the opening tribute, it is our Constitutional Courts which have rendered rock-solid
support to our soldiers and their families in their genuine causes, especially
disabled personnel and military widows, when they were abandoned by the system. Through the many summers of our
independent history, the real public service in this has been effectuated specifically
by the Delhi and the Punjab & Haryana High Courts- the former because of
sensitivity and experience in dealing with these issues over time and over an
extended canvas, and the latter because it is the Constitutional Court of
States which have seen battle from the closest quarters.
But more than the support of the judicial process
or the media, what is needed is a sensitive and sensitised political executive.
The problem has always been that decisions are taken at the bottom and endorsed
by the top and not taken by the top and percolated to the bottom. The closest topical
example would be the salutary intention of the current Prime Minister to
minimise litigation against military veterans and their families, an intention
which is being held hostage by junior level staff of the incongruously titled Department
of Ex-Servicemen Welfare of the Ministry of Defence. The reason is simple:
lower functionaries initiate file notings in such a manner that it becomes
difficult for the decision-makers to avoid a negative decision. Files are
framed in a one-sided mode so as to elicit a pessimistic response from the top.
And then these functionaries are the ones who interact with the decision-making
authorities regularly and hence are able to convince them by isolating them
from the stakeholders by forming a regressive coterie. The answer to overcome
this is simple. The political executive should apply mind on every ensuing decision
which affects the lives of millions of veterans and their kin and such decisions
should only be taken after discussing the concerned issue with stakeholders
across the board and across the table providing them a chance to rebut the
inputs of babudom which may vary from
ambiguous to pure white lies.
Ditto for the military bureaucracy. Senior military
appointments must go deep into issues which have a bearing on others and not simply
rely on what is put up from below. There have been instances wherein within the
military, directions of even the Chief of the Army Staff in favour of disabled
soldiers have been ignored and opinions of mere Under Secretary level officers
have been granted primacy and allowed to prevail. It is time to grow a spine
and stand up for your own, it is time sadism and peer jealously are curbed and
positivity and sensitivity encouraged and inculcated. Passion for one’s work
and compassion for one’s comrades is the clarion call. Believe me, it is the
most agonising experience to see the Army itself blindly oppose its veterans,
disabled soldiers, military widows and their kin in Courts and other fora on
the pretext of defending ‘Government Policies’ rather than making attempts to
stand up for their own fraternity and vociferously vouching for a change and
rationalisation of such anomalous and spiteful policies. Even delegated powers
are not put into motion, and displaying lack of confidence, unnecessary clarifications
are sought from others which are bound to result in negative responses. And what
is the point in having judicial bodies at all in a democracy if policies framed
by the executive are to be treated as so sacrosanct? Are we bound by the
principles of equity, justice and law as laid down by Constitutional Courts or
by limited knowledge and sadistic opinions reflected by junior staffers on
files? It is time to shun timidity and look into such issues through the hurt
of those who are pained and not via the pen of a babu.
A beginning has to be made somewhere and it is you and I who have to march towards a constructive foundation.
Yes, the system
is you. The system is I.
Let us transform it. Let it not maim anymore.
The lines in the beginning were sung by Prince. And before I sign off, he sings
again-
In your life did you just give a little?
Or did you give all that you had?
Or were you just somewhere in the middle?
Not too good, not too bad?
