THE VITAL ROLE OF OUR RECORD OFFICES

THE RECORD OFFICES FOR THE PBORs

The Record Offices plays a vital part in the life of the Ex-servicemen and their families. Therefore, it is necessary that every Ex-Serviceman should know the address of their record office.

Normally, these record offices are located geographically far away places from each other. It is not practically possible for a Sepoy of Gorkha Rifles from Kanyakumari to go to his record office which is situated at Ghoom, Darjeeling.

Then comes the language used for correspondence, which must be in English or in Hindi. Most of the Ex-Servicemen from non Hindi speaking states can speak Hindi, but they cannot write to their requirement in Hindi. But, they can get it written in English with the help of someone else.

All the Ex-servicemen must bear in mind that whatever letter you write to your record office, all must be neatly typed preferably in computer and send it by registered post only.

Also, all the Ex-servicemen must intimate any change in their permanent address, any change in their family events, such as marriage, child birth, death etc., to their record offices, without fail. This is very important.

I take this opportunity, to request the Army Headquarters to provide at least one computer with broadband facility to all the record offices with E-mail addresses. So that, the communication can be improved and better service can be provided to the Ex-servicemen and their families.

ADDRESSES OF RECORD OFFICES

1. Records Air Defence, Artillery, Nasik

Road Camp, Nasik – 422 102

2. Records Armoured Corps,

Ahmed Nagar – 414 001

3. Records, The Madras Engr. Gp.

Bangalore – 560 042

4. Records, The Bengal Engr. Gp. Roorkee

5. Records, The Bombay Engr. Gp, Kirkee;

Pune – 411 003

6. Records, Signals, Jabalpur – 482 001

7. Records, The Bihar Regt.

Danapore Cantt – 801 503

8. Records, Brigade of the Guards,

Kamptee – 441 001 (Mah)

9. Records, The Para Regt.

Bangalore – 560 042

10. Records, The Mechanised Inf.

Ahmed Nagar – 414 001

11. Records, The Punjab Regt.

Ramgarh Cantt – 829 122

12. Records, The Madras Regt.

Wellington – 643 231

13. Records, The Grenadiers,

Jabalpur – 482 001

14. Records, The Maratha Li

Belgaum – 590 009

15. Records, The Rajputana Rifles,

Delhi Cantt – 110 010

16. Records, The Rajput Regt.

Fategarh – 209 601

17. Records, The Jat Regt.

Bareilly – 243 001

18. Records, The Sikh Regt.

Ramgarh, Cantt – 829 122

19. Records, The Dogra Regt.

Faizagarh – 209 601

20. Records, Kumaon Regt.

Ranikhet – 263 645

21. Records, The Assam Regt.

Shillong – 793 007

22. Records, The Mahar Regt.

Saugor – 470 001

23. Records, The J & K Rifles,

Jabalpur – 482 001

24. Records, Jallundhar Recruiting Area,

Jullundhar Cantt.

25. Records, The Ladakh Scounts,

Leh, Ladakh – 194 001

26. Records, The J & K Light Infantary,

Hatt Chinar, Srinagar.

27. Records, 14 GR, Subathu, Shimla Hills

28. Records, 39, GR, Varanasi Cantt – 221 001

29. Records, 58 GR, Shillong – 793 007

30. Records, 11 GR, Lucknow – 226 001

31. Records, ASC (Sup), Bangalore – 560 007

32. Records, ASC (MT), Bangalore – 560 007

33. Records, ASC (AT), Gaya Cantt – 823 005

34. Records, AMC Lucknow Cantt – 226 002

35. Records, AOC, Secunderabad – 500 021

36. Records, EME, Secunderabad – 500 021

37. Records, RVC, Meerut Cantt – 250 001

38. Records, AEC, Panchmnarhi – 461 001

39. Records, Intelligence Corps,

Pune – 411 019

40. Records, CMP, Bangalore – 560 025

41. Records, APTC, Pune – 441 022

42. Records, Pioneer Corps,

Bangalore -560 006

43. Records, APS, Kamptte – 441 001

44. Records, Artillery, Nasik Road Camp,

Nasik – 422 102

45. Records, The President’s Body Guard,

New Delhi

46. Records, Defence Security, Corps,

Mill Road, Cannanore – 670 013

47. Gorkha Records Office, Ghoom,

Darjeeling (WB)

48. Gorkha Records Office, Lebong,

Darjeeling (WB)

49. Gorkha Records Office, Kunraghat,

Gorakhpur – 273 008

50. Records Office, Indian Embassy,

Kathmandu, Nepal.

51. Records, Sikh LI, Fatehgarh – 209 601

52. Records, The Garhwal Rifles,

Lansdowne – 246 155

ADDRESS OF THE NAVY RECORD OFFICE

Bureau of Sailors, Cheetah Camp,

Mankhurd, Mumbai – 400 088

ADDRESS OF THE AIRFORCE RECORD OFFICE

Air Force Record Office

Subrato Park, New Delhi – 110 010

CREDIT OF PENSION TO JOINT ACCOUNT

CREDIT OF PENSION TO JOINT A/C

It has been decided in the year 2005 to permit credit pension also to a joint account operated by the pensioner with his/her spouse in whose favour an authorization for family pension exists in the PPO. Still there are many pensioners operating single account.

The joint account of the pensioner with spouse could be operated wither by “Former OR Survivor” or “Either OR Survivor” basis subject to certain conditions.

It is better that all the pensioners (Specially aged above 60) convert their single account to joint account on “E or S” basis immediately, have one ATM card and use it safely.

The Govt. order had been issued as early as 09.06.2005 by Central Pension Accounting Office, New Delhi under No.CPAO/Tech/Amendments/Sch.Book/2005-06/69 dt.09.06.05.

The pensioner should visit the Bank personally with his spouse and two sets of joint photographs, the pension book and a Xerox copy of the PPO where the spouse’s name is endorsed. On submitting the enclosed application with signature of the spouse, the Bank will convert your single account into a joint account with the joint photograph attested and affixed on the first page of the Pass Book with full details of the pensioner name and his spouse name in the reprinted first page.

Simultaneously, the pensioner can apply for ATM Card, if not done earlier. In an E or S account both the account holders can have ATM Cards. But it is advisable to have only one ATM card in this case.

This process of converting a single a/c to a joint a/c is separate from the nomination rules. Therefore all pensioners must give nomination to their Pension accounts separately in addition to this E or S a/c conversion.

Most of the readers may be aware of these rules, but they don’t take the pain of taking their spouses to the bank one day for this purpose. I therefore request all the defence pensioners to please convert their single pension a/c to joint a/c and help others also to do the same. This will help the entire ex-servicemen community in the long run.


Joint Application to be given to the Bank

From

…………………....
...........
…………………....

To

The Manager
…………………....
...........
…………………....

Dear Sir,

Sub: PAYMENT OF PENSION UNDER PPO NO………….THROUGH YOUR BANK BRANCH.

I wish to receive my pension under PPO No………..by getting it credited to the Savings/Current bank account No……………….which is operated jointly/E or S basis in your branch by me and my spouse. Mr./Mrs……………..in whose favour an authorization for family pension exists in the Pension Payment Order (PPO).

I have read and understood the contents of the Govt. of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of expenditure, Central Pension Accounting Office OM No.CPAO/Tech/Amendments/Sch.Book/2005-06/69 dated 09.06.2005 which contains the following terms and conditions: Once pension has been credited to a pensioners bank account, liability of the government/bank ceases. No further liability arises, even if the amount is wrongly drawn by the spouse.

(a) As pension is payable only during the life of a pensioner, his/her death shall be intimated to the bank at the earliest and in any case within one month of the demise, so that the bank does not continue, crediting monthly pension to the joint account with the spouse, after the death of the pensioner. If however, any amount has been wrongly credited to the joint account, it shall be recoverable from the joint account and/or any other account held by the pensioner/spouse either individually or jointly. The legal heirs; successors, executors etc. shall also be liable to refund any amount, which has been wrongly credited to the joint account.
(b) Payment of arrears of Pension (nomination) Rules, 1983 would continue to be applicable to the joint account with pensioner’s spouse. Thus, if there is an “accepted nomination’ in accordance with Rule 5 and 6 of these Rules arrears mentioned in the Rules will be payable to the nominee.

I accept the above terms and conditions. My spouse too, in token of having accepted those terms and conditions, has put his/her signature below.


Place: 1. Signature of Pensioner…………………

Date: 2. Signature of Spouse …………………….

IT IS HIGH TIME THAT WE KNOW OUR PENSION ENTITLEMENT FIRST

ENHANCED RATE OF FAMILY PENSION

The concept of paying Enhanced rate of family pension to the widow, for a period of 7 years from the date of death of pensioner or up to the age of 67 was introduced to protect the family due to the premature death of the pensioner. (i.e. before attaining the age of 67)

Normally the enhanced rate of family pension will be the same pension which was paid to the pensioner. In case of Defence pensioners/family pensioners, the concept is totally forgotten by the banks. Due to the lethargic attitude of the banks in the matter, many JCO’s widows are drawing just ordinary pension of a Sepoy’s widow..

For example a Civil govt. servant retired at the age of 60 was drawing a pension of Rs.8000/-. Suppose he dies at the age of 64, his will continue to get the same pension of Rs.8000/- till the deceased govt.. servant attained the age of 67. Thereafter her pension will be reduced to Rs.4800/- which is called ordinary family pension (i.e. 30% of his last drawn pay)

This is a simple rule easily followed and applied to a civilian pensioner and family pensioner. Since a civil govt.. servant is in service upto the age of 60 and the number of pay commissions he is going to meet after retirement is also limited to one or two. Therefore revising/enhanced pension after his death is also limited and current. Where as in case of a Defence pensioner, who get discharged at the age of 35 with a pro-rata pension meets at least 4 pay commissions and his service pension is revised 4 times during his life time. The PDAs keeps the original PPO intact and revise the pension of the pensioner only but they do not revise the enhanced family pension and ordinary family pensionat least for record purpose.

Therefore a defence pensioner (who retired in the year say 1987 during 4^th CPC ) after 22 years at age of 57 draws a pension as per 6^th CPC say Rs.5000/-. Suppose if he dies in the year 2008, his wife will have to be given the same Rs.5000 as enhanced pension till the deceased attained the age of 67 or for 7 years from the date of death whichever is earlier. In this case the Banks are finding it difficult to arrive at the correct family pension entitlement as the family pension entitlement has not been revised correspondingly for 22 years. The original PPO indicates an enhanced pension of Rs.500 only and an ordinary pension of Rs.375 as per 4^th CPC. There are no clear guidelines to banks in this regard. Even if it is there on various govt.. orders, the banks are not ready to implement it in favour of the pensioners. Unless some learned persons intervenes in the matter with the Bank, the banks continue to pay Rs.500 with DA as enhanced rate of pension instead of Rs.5000/-.

Unless every pensioner/family pensioner is clearly aware of their entitlements, it is very difficult to get the correct pension from the banks. So it high time that we know our pension entitlement first.

JUST STAY WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS YOU

NEXT TIME SOMEONE NEEDS YOU …..

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bed side.

“Your son is here”, she said to the old man.
She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened.

He was heavily sedated because of the paid of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed army officer standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The officer wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so that the officer could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young officer sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man’s hand and offering his words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the officer move away and rest awhile.

He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the officer was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital – the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greeting, the cries and moans of the other patients.

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.

Along towards dawn, the old man died. The officer released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.

Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the officer interrupted her.

“Who was that man ? he asked.

The nurse was startled, “He was your father”, she answered.

“No, he wasn’t, the officer replied. “I never saw him before in my life”.

“Then why didn’t you say some thing when I took you to him ?”

“I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn’t there.

When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed”.

The next time someone needs you …..just be there stay.

Courtesy: SBI Elders Voice

ISSUE OF STATEMENT OF ARREARS TO PENSIONERS

REVISION OF PENSION OF PRE-2006 ARMED FORCES

PENSIONERS/FAMILY PENSIONERS

ISSUE OF ANNEXURE IV (A DETAILED REPORT OF ARREARS PAYMENT)

TO THE PENSIONERS.

The Government Order (MOD letter No.17(4)/2008(1)/D/Pen/Policy) dt.11/11/2008, while explaining the methodology for implementation and reporting under Para 16 clearly states under sub-para 16.4 that “ A COPY OF THE SAID ANNEXURE IV MAY INVARIABLY BE PROVIDED BY THE PDAs TO THE PENSIONERS CONCERNED FOR THEIR INFORMATION”. ( Annexure IV is a detailed report of arrears payment).

But it has been observed with great concern that the Banks neither issue to the pensioners nor send a copy to the CDA(P) Allahabad.

It is not fair on the part of the Banks to be a silent spectator in this regard. Banks should not wait for each pensioner to demand for an Annexure IV. Giving out the print out of the Annexure IV to all the pensioners will improve the quality of service and customer satisfaction, also avoid unnecessary complaint and correspondence. Banks should keep this mind and start issuing this Annexure IV to all the pensioners at an early date.

On the other hand, it is suggested in the interest of the pensioners, that all the pensioners should visit their respective Bank Branches at least one day with a copy of a Blank Annexure IV and insist the Branch officials to issue it duly filled. Unless the pensioners join together and fight for their right, things will get worse day by day. There is no meaning in blaming the banks while standing in the que in front of an ATM and forget about it later.

If nothing is working out, alternatively, if necessary, all the pensioners join together one day in front of the Bank Branch and conduct a Dharna for the issue of the Annexure IV. Will you all join together for one hour struggle on any one day ? Please think it over. Unity is strength.

Annexure IV

भारतीय जेलों में बंद POWs TSP सड़ 1971 के युद्ध से! हमें भूल गया वे हैं!!

भारतीय जेलों में बंद POWs TSP सड़ 1971 के युद्ध से! हमें भूल गया वे हैं!! युद्ध के अलग अलग लोगों को अलग अलग चीजों का मतलब है. व्यापार युद्ध शस्त्रीकरण और आपूर्ति के साथ जुड़ा के लिए यह जल्दी और बड़े पैसे बनाने के लिए एक अवसर है. सत्ताधारी नेताओं के लिए यह देश की saviours के रूप में है और खुद को प्रोजेक्ट करने के लिए इसे बाहर की राजनीतिक राजधानी बनाने के लिए अंधराष्ट्रीयता के लिए एक उपजाऊ भूमि उपलब्ध कराता है. बस के रूप में प्रधानमंत्री वाजपेयी और उनकी पार्टी को हाल के चुनावों में अच्छा प्रभाव को कारगिल युद्ध का उपयोग किया है, इंदिरा गांधी ने इस उपमहाद्वीप की एक अथक दुर्गा के रूप में उभरने के लिए पाकिस्तान के साथ 1971 के युद्ध का शोषण करने में सक्षम था. हालांकि, युद्ध के सैनिकों और जो तोप चारे के रूप में उपयोग किया जाता है अधिकारियों के लिए कुछ और ही है. इतिहास के लेखकों के लिए जो कुछ नाटकीय लड़ाई में मरणोपरांत पुरस्कार और पुरस्कार के जरिए मान्यता का एक उपाय प्राप्त कर सकते हैं की कुछ को मार डाला है, लेकिन ज्यादातर, मात्र गुमनाम रहने के आँकड़े. सबसे बुरी किस्मत हालांकि befalls जो दुश्मन द्वारा कब्जा कर रहे हैं, विशेषकर यदि वे सैनिकों और एक राज्य का नागरिक होने का क्या जो अपने युवा खून बहाने के लिए और लेट जाओ उम्मीद सहित अपने स्वयं के नागरिकों के जीवन पर है कि स्थानों shamefully कम मूल्य, उनकी अपने देश की रक्षा के लिए रहता है. इस अनुच्छेद में Anjana मेहता हमें पाकिस्तानी जेलों में 1971 के भारत पाक युद्ध के बाद से सड़ जाना कि कैसे भारत सरकार ने जो मानते हैं कि 54 सैनिकों maltreated है की एक झलक देता है. वह जानकारी कर्नल आर के द्वारा प्रदान के माध्यम से बड़े पैमाने पर इस लेख संकलित Pattu, लापता कार्मिक रिश्तेदार एसोसिएशन के कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष. लगभग तीन दशकों तक चौवन परिवारों को 1971 के युद्ध से उनके बेटे, पति, पिता और भाइयों के लौटने की प्रतीक्षा है. इन लोगों ने पाकिस्तान सेना द्वारा जीवित है और कब्जा कर लिया गया था जब से कैद कर दिया गया है. जब भारत सरकार ने बांग्लादेश युद्ध के बाद युद्ध से अधिक 92000 कैदी रिहा, यह है कि सभी भारतीय सशस्त्र बलों के कर्मियों पाकिस्तानी अधिकारियों ने कब्जा एक साथ जारी किया गया यह सुनिश्चित नहीं किया. दो सौ से अधिक भारतीय सैनिकों ने भी पाकिस्तान से नहीं, बल्कि उन उच्च रैंक के प्रत्यावर्तित किया गया. हालांकि अधिकारियों के परिवारों को ट्रेन असर के स्वागत के लिए गए पाकिस्तान से भारतीय रक्षा कर्मियों प्रत्यावर्तित, वहाँ अपने प्रियजनों के साथ नहीं रीयूनियन था. दर्द के कई वर्ष पीड़ित के बाद, परिवारों को अंततः एक लापता रक्षा कार्मिक रिश्तेदार एसोसिएशन, जिनकी जनादेश बनाने के द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से गायब अधिकारियों को ठीक करने के लिए भारत की सरकार के दबाव में काम करने गया था कार्रवाई लिया. यह 3 दिसंबर, 1971 में, यह है कि भारत और पाक युद्ध को तोड़ दिया गया था. यह 14 दिनों के लिए, पूर्वी क्षेत्र में पाकिस्तानी सेना के आत्मसमर्पण में culminating और बंगलादेश के निर्माण चली. 92,000 से अधिक पाकिस्तानी सैनिकों को भारत से कैदी ले रहे थे. इसी तरह, पश्चिमी क्षेत्र में, कुछ भारतीय रक्षा कर्मियों पाकिस्तान ने कब्जा कर लिया गया था. शिमला समझौते के 1972 के बाद, युद्ध के कैदियों को, फिर भी कुछ भारतीय कैदियों की बातचीत के लिए गए थे, बेहिसाब रहीं और निरोध में पाकिस्तान में रहने लगा. जेल में अपने अस्तित्व की कठोर शर्त विक्टोरिया Schoffield की किताब, भुट्टो - परीक्षण और कार्यान्वयन में निम्नलिखित शब्दों के द्वारा प्रकाश डाला गया है: Kot पर Lakhpat इन स्थितियों के अलावा, के लिए तीन महीने भुट्टो उत्पीड़न की जो उसने सोचा था कि एक अजीब तरह के, के अधीन था उसके लाभ के लिए विशेष रूप से किया गया. उसके सेल, एक बैरक क्षेत्र से एक 10 फुट ऊँची दीवार से अलग, भीषण तेज आवाज सुनने से रोकना नहीं किया और रात में दीवार के दूसरी तरफ से चिल्लाती है. एक श्री भुट्टो के वकीलों की जेल कर्मचारियों में से पूछताछ कर दिया और कहा कि वे वास्तव में युद्ध के जो गाया गया था भारतीय कैदियों थे निधारित अपराधी और मानसिक 1971 के युद्ध के दौरान. जब समय मुद्रा कैदियों के लिए आया था, भारत सरकार, और इसलिए वे कैदियों Kot Lakhpat में उनके अस्तित्व को बढ़ाना करने के लिए के रूप में बनाए रखा गया है जो मूल की अपनी जगह से नहीं याद था इन lunatics, स्वीकार नहीं करेंगे. भुट्टो ने कैदियों की सटीक स्वभाव की खोज, जेल अधीक्षक को पत्र अपने वकील को संबोधित की एक प्रति के साथ (जो प्रेस करने के लिए) जारी किया गया था, कि वे स्थानांतरित हो अनुरोध लिखा है - आखिरकार वे थे. जाहिर है कि श्री भुट्टो ने अधिकारियों की नींद उद्देश्य पर परेशान किया जा रहा था स्वीकार नहीं करेगा, लेकिन भुट्टो वह खर्च और अक्सर शिकायत के अन्य पत्र में lunatics करने के लिए भेजा के जागती रात भूल नहीं की. पचास अजीब मेरा lunatics वार्ड के बगल में दर्ज किया गया. उनकी चीखें और रात के अंत में तेज आवाज में मैं भूल नहीं होगा कुछ है, 'उन्होंने लिखा है. Schoffield के खाते से, यह इस तरह है कि यह भारत की है जो युद्ध के इन भारतीय कैदियों को स्वीकार नहीं किया था कि सरकार, हालांकि वे पाकिस्तान के विदेशी मुद्रा के लिए शिमला समझौते के बाद की पेशकश की गई लगती है. युद्ध राज्यों की है कि वे कैदियों को रिहा किया जाएगा और सक्रिय शत्रुता की समाप्ति के बाद बिना देरी प्रत्यावर्तित पर जिनेवा सम्मेलन. युद्ध अभ्यारोप्य अपराधों के लिए आपराधिक कार्रवाई किसके खिलाफ कैदियों की ऐसी कार्रवाइयों के अंत तक रोका जा सकता है, और यदि आवश्यक हो, दंड के पूरा होने तक लंबित हैं. उसी युद्ध के कैदियों को पहले से ही एक अभ्यारोप्य अपराध के लिए दोषी को लागू नहीं होगी. इस संघर्ष के लिए पार्टी एक दूसरे के युद्ध का जो कार्यवाही के अंत तक या हिरासत में हैं, जब तक सजा पूरी कर ली गई है किसी भी कैदियों के नाम बातचीत करेगा. इस संघर्ष के लिए पार्टियों के बीच समझौता करके, आयोगों के लिए खोज के प्रयोजन के लिए युद्ध के कैदियों छितरी हुई है और कम से कम संभव विलंब के साथ उनके प्रत्यावर्तन आश्वस्त ( "देखने स्थापित किया जाएगा जो भूल गया हीरोज" अशोका रैना तरुण बसु के साथ; समोच्च, 6 अप्रैल , 1980). भारत और पाकिस्तान ने जिनेवा कन्वेंशन के लिए दोनों हस्ताक्षर कर रहे हैं. कोई रिकॉर्ड हमारे लिए उपलब्ध है कि भारत की सरकार वास्तव में साबित किया है, या पाकिस्तान में भारतीय कर्मियों लापता एक पारदर्शी तरीका यह है कि भारत में कोई पाकिस्तानी कैदी थे में पाकिस्तान को आश्वस्त करने के लिए ट्रेस करने के लिए इस तरह के एक आयोग का गठन होता है (जैसा कि पाकिस्तान सरकार का भी है कि कुछ अपने सशस्त्र कर्मियों की कमी महसूस कर रहे थे) का दावा किया था. विभिन्न दस्तावेजों के लापता रक्षा कार्मिक रिश्तेदार एसोसिएशन द्वारा एकत्रित perusing पर, यह है कि भारत सरकार के रूप में यह हमारे अन्य संस्थानों के साथ किया गया है के बारे में के रूप में सशस्त्र बलों के हितों की रक्षा करने में सक्षम हो गया है स्पष्ट हो जाता है. लापता कर्मियों के रिश्तेदार का दोहराया, हताश प्रार्थना perfunctorily करने के लिए भाग रहे हैं. बजाय इसके सख्ती गायब कर्मियों की वापसी के लिए पैरवी, सरकार सबूत सैनिक अभी भी पाकिस्तानी जेलों में सड़ से संबंधित हर ताजा टुकड़ा की अनदेखी करने के लिए लगता है. जांच के बोझ इसलिए जो परिश्रम जानकारी भूल अधिकारियों के बारे में एकत्र किया है परिवारों, पर गिर गया है. (इनमें से कुछ जानकारी के लिए देखें बॉक्स) मेजर अशोक सूरी कश्मीर ँ जनवरी 6 या 7, 1972 पर, अशोक सूरी फरीदाबाद के नाम रेडियो लाहौर के पंजाबी दरबार कार्यक्रम में उल्लेख किया गया था. ँ 26 दिसंबर, 1974, R.S. पर सूरी, अशोक सूरी के पिता अशोक सूरी द्वारा 7 दिसंबर, 1974 दिनांक एक हस्तलिखित नोट मिला है. ँ 13 अगस्त, 1975, R.S. पर सूरी एक पत्र 14, 15 और 16 जून 1975 कराची अशोक सूरी ने कहा कि 20 अधिकारियों को पाकिस्तान में हिरासत में थे प्रकट लिखा दिनांकित से प्राप्त की. ँ 1976 में R.S. सूरी एक संपर्क से अशोक सूरी 2 दिसंबर, 1971 में, युद्ध के वास्तविक घोषणा से पहले किया गया था, और कब्जा कर लिया था कि दोनों पक्षों पर ऐसे व्यक्तियों जासूस के रूप में विचार किया गया जानकारी प्राप्त की. ँ R.S. सूरी कराची से NWEP करने के लिए Johat, Swabi, Mardan और Malakand करने के लिए स्थानांतरित किया गया होने अशोक सूरी के बारे में अधिक जानकारी प्राप्त की. ँ मुख्तियार सिंह, जो पाकिस्तान से 5 जुलाई को प्रत्यावर्तित किया गया, 1988, कि मेजर अशोक सूरी Kot Lakhpat जेल में उस समय कहा था. फ्लाइट लेफ्टिनेंट V.V. Tambay ँ इस रविवार पाकिस्तान ऑब्जर्वर, दिनांक 5 दिसंबर, 1971, कि पांच भारतीय पायलटों को जीवित पकड़ा गया था रावलपिंडी से समाचार दिसंबर 4 datelined, 1971 दिया. एक नाम प्रकाशित की थी कि फ्लाइट लेफ्टिनेंट Tambay की. ँ Tambay की पत्नी को एक बांग्लादेशी नौसेना अधिकारी, जो पाकिस्तान में युद्ध के दौरान बंदी लिया गया था के साथ 1978 में एक मौका बैठक की. Lyallpur जेल में उन्होंने एक व्यक्ति Tambay नाम भर में आया था. इस अधिकारी ने कहा कि Tambay ठोड़ी पर एक निशान था याद (जो उसने पुष्टि) सच था. ँ Daljit सिंह, जो पाकिस्तान से 24 मार्च, 1988 पर प्रत्यावर्तित किया गया, लाहौर पूछताछ केंद्र में फरवरी में, 1978 फ्लाइट लेफ्टिनेंट Tambay देखा था. मेजर A.K. घोष ँ टाइम पत्रिका ने 27 दिसंबर, 1971 दिनांक सलाखों के पीछे एक भारतीय कैदी की एक तस्वीर किए. यह तस्वीर साबित हुआ है कि मेजर A.K. की घोष, जो भारतीय POWs के साथ वापस नहीं किया. कप्तान रविन्दर Kaura उसका नाम ँ रेडियो लाहौर में 7 दिसंबर, 1991 को घोषित किया गया था. एक पाकिस्तानी जेल से उनकी तस्वीर ँ भारत में तस्करी रहा था और 1972 में अंबाला में एक समाचार पत्र ने प्रकाशित किया है. जो कप्तान के साथ Kaura पाकिस्तान जेल में किया गया था ँ कोई LD देखने के लिए आए थे Kaura, रविन्दर के पिता, 1979 में. (भारत की सरकार के बीच में था कप्तान Kaura मर चुका है और एक मरणोपरांत वीर चक्र से सम्मानित किया उसे) की घोषणा की. ँ इसके अलावा जानकारी है कि कप्तान Kaura लाहौर, मुल्तान, Sahiwal और रावलपिंडी की जेलों में बंद रखा गया में आया था. ँ मुख्तियार सिंह, पाकिस्तान से 5 जुलाई को प्रत्यावर्तित, 1988, कि कप्तान Kaura मुल्तान जेल में 1981 के आसपास थी और वर्तमान में Kot Lakhpat जेल में था. सैनिकों का भी अन्य सेना कर्मियों है कि पाकिस्तानी जेलों में बंद कैदियों को अनावश्यक दुर्बल करने के लिए जारी रखने न सिर्फ परिवार के सदस्य है, लेकिन. लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल (सेवानिवृत्त) K.P. Candeth, जो जीओसी इन सी, पश्चिमी कमान, 1971 के भारत पाक युद्ध के दौरान किया गया एक ऐसा विश्वास है. "मुझे लगता है कि वे हमारे कुछ सैनिकों के कब्जा किया था और पाकिस्तान में है विश्वास है. वे POWs घोषित किया जाना चाहिए. युद्ध के अंत में, जब हम सभी पाकिस्तानी कैदियों को वापस भेज दिया, वे भी अपने चंगुल वापस करने में कैदियों को भेजा जाना चाहिए था भारत. लेकिन इस खास मामले में, पाकिस्तान किसी बहाने पर या किसी और उन्हें वापस आयोजित में, "वे कहते हैं (" भारतीय सैनिक पाकिस्तानी जेलों में बासी देख, "आयोजक, 7 अप्रैल, 1996). भारत सरकार भी unremittingly के निशान का पीछा नहीं किया? फिर गर्म है. राह ठंड जाने के लिए अनुमति में, जो हमारे मोर्चों को पूरा भरोसा है कि भारतीय लोग उनके पीछे थे के साथ अपने प्रियजनों को भेजा नीचे हैं. 4 सितम्बर, 1996 को राज्य सभा, ओ पी कोहली और सतीश प्रधान के दो सदस्य, IK कहा विदेश मंत्रालय के गुजराल, तो मंत्री, तो क्या सरकार उस के रूप में कई के रूप में 40 सुरक्षा कर्मियों को पाकिस्तान ने 1971 के दौरान भारत कब्जा-पाक संघर्ष वाकिफ था अब भी विदेशी हिरासत में थे. मंत्री ने कहा कि 54 लापता भारतीय रक्षा कर्मियों पाकिस्तान की हिरासत में माना गया था उपलब्ध जानकारी के अनुसार. ऐसा लगता है कि पाकिस्तान में कई सकारात्मक रचनात्मक प्रस्तावों इस मानवीय मुद्दे के समाधान के लिए वर्षों से भारतीय पक्ष द्वारा की गई करने के लिए जवाब नहीं था खेद व्यक्त किया गया. पाकिस्तान की सरकार ने हालांकि कहा कि अपनी हिरासत में नहीं भारतीय रक्षा कर्मियों को बनाए रखा गया था. एक हलफनामे में पिछले वर्ष की अदालत में दायर की, मोहन लाल भास्कर, जो देश के लिए कैदियों की मुद्रा के बाद पाकिस्तानी जेलों में बंद अपने रहने "के दौरान कहा कि लौटे, मैं उस पर Kot Lakhpat जेल, लाहौर, भारतीय POWs सड़ रहे थे पता चला विभिन्न जेलों में बंद. कर्नल आसिफ शाफी द्वितीय पंजाब रेजिमेंट पाकिस्तान, जो भी जेल में था, की है कि विंग कमांडर एच एस गिल और अन्य सहित भारतीय सेना की 45 से अधिक अधिकारियों, इस किले Atak के लिए और सीमित थे पुष्टि वहाँ जासूसी के आरोप लगाया गया था और उनकी रिहाई की संभावना नहीं थे. इनमें से ज्यादातर सजा सुनाई थी. वे पाकिस्तानी जेलों से रिहा नहीं किया गया इस वाक्य को पूरा करने के बावजूद. कई भारतीय नागरिकों, सेना के अधिकारियों सहित, अवैध रूप से पाकिस्तान की जेलों में बिना निरुद्ध किया गया है एक परीक्षण है. पाकिस्तान सरकार ने जेलों में बंद कैदियों के मानवाधिकारों का सम्मान नहीं ( "" आर Suryamurthy और राहुल दास, द ट्रिब्यून, 28 मार्च, 1999 तक) पाकिस्तान की जेलों में बंद भारतीय कैदियों देख रहा था. हालांकि पाकिस्तान और भारत अपने स्वयं के नागरिकों के मानवाधिकारों trashing के abysmal रिकॉर्ड किया है, यह अभी भी दोनों देशों को एक ही उदासीनता के साथ POWs के इलाज के लिए नहीं, अवलंबी है के रूप में जिनेवा कन्वेंशन प्रति. जी टीवी के कार्यक्रम हेल्प, रियाज Khokar (पिछले पाकिस्तान के उच्चायुक्त भारत में) पर बोलते पाकिस्तान में भारतीय POWs की मौजूदगी से इनकार किया. पूरी तरह से निराधार "ये आरोप हैं. वहाँ क्यों हम उन्हें वापस रख चाहिए कोई कारण नहीं है," उन्होंने कहा. "हर जांच का आयोजन किया है कि हम में, हम" ( "गुम है," Anuja पांडे, रविवार, 25 फ़रवरी, और 2 मार्च, 1996 तक) देख कुछ भी नहीं मिला है. 1981 में, एक सद्भावना संकेत के रूप में पाकिस्तान एक अंतर्राष्ट्रीय रेड क्रॉस की टीम ने लापता रक्षा कार्मिकों को खोजने में मदद करने के लिए अनुमति देने के लिए सहमत हुए थे. इस टीम में नाकामयाब आया. और 1989 में फिर से, कि पाकिस्तान ने 1971 के युद्ध की याद आ रही पुरुषों के लिए एक नई खोज आयोजित करने पर सहमत हुए. अन्य मंचों में, पाकिस्तानी सरकार ने कहा कि यह भारतीय POWs नहीं है, और कहा कि इन रक्षा कर्मियों के रिश्तेदारों पाकिस्तानी जेलों का दौरा करने के लिए स्वागत है खुद के लिए कि वहाँ युद्ध वहाँ का कोई भी भारतीय कैदी हैं देखने के लिए बनाए रखा है. सितम्बर 1983, छह रिश्तेदारों का एक प्रतिनिधिमंडल - मेजर सूरी, मेजर घोष और फ्लाइट लेफ्टिनेंट Tambay के रिश्तेदारों सहित में? भारत से पाकिस्तान में मुल्तान जेल का दौरा करने के लिए भेजा गया. दुर्भाग्य से, वे सब पीछे लग आया धोखा दिया. "हम केवल एक जेल और इस जेल का दौरा करने की अनुमति दी गई रक्षा कर्मियों में से कोई नहीं था," आशुतोष घोष कहते हैं. कुछ और भी horrfied वापस आ गया. Damayanti Tambay, "एक छोटी सी कोठरी में पचास कैदियों के लिए कुछ चालीस थे याद साथ herded. उनमें से अधिकांश जंजीरों में थे और कुछ स्तंभों के लिए बंधे हुए थे." इन भारतीयों को कथित तौर पर तस्करी जैसे छोटे अपराधों के लिए पकड़े गए थे (भी "गुम है," Anuja पांडे, रविवार, 25 फ़रवरी, और 2 मार्च, 1996 तक) देखें. भारत की असफलता POWs, डॉ. सूरी, मेजर अशोक सूरी और राष्ट्रपति लापता रक्षा कार्मिक रिश्तेदार एसोसिएशन के पिता की रिहाई सुनिश्चित करने के लिए की सरकार द्वारा, निराश न्यायमूर्ति Ranganatha मिश्र, अध्यक्ष राष्ट्रीय मानव अधिकार आयोग के लिए लिखा था. न्यायमूर्ति मिश्र ( "भारतीय सैनिक पाकिस्तानी जेलों में बासी देख रिश्तेदार है कि वह अपने पाकिस्तानी समकक्ष के साथ ही अंतरराष्ट्रीय मानव अधिकार आयोग और माफी अंतरराष्ट्रीय के साथ इस मामले को उठाने का आश्वासन दिया होता," आयोजक, 7 अप्रैल, 1996). 14 अगस्त, 1999 को, प्रमुख मानव अधिकार और नागरिक स्वतंत्रता कार्यकर्ताओं, शिक्षाविदों और रक्षा विशेषज्ञों POWs की दुर्दशा पर एक संगोष्ठी में और विस्थापित व्यक्तियों, पाकिस्तान और इराक के लिए POWs, जो दोनों देशों में फँस गया था जारी करने के लिए एक मजबूत दलील कर बात की कई वर्षों के लिए. वहाँ से भी अधिक थे भारतीय, पचास और छह सौ और पाकिस्तानी और इराकी जेलों में पाँच कुवैत POWs क्रमशः, और दोनों देशों को उन्हें रिहा करने की अनिच्छा दिखाई थी. इस संगोष्ठी के नागरिक संगठन हिंद महासागर रिम (COIOR) द्वारा आयोजित किया गया (indiaserver.com, 14 अगस्त, 1999 को) समाचार अद्यतन सेवा देखें. अप्रैल 23, 1999, राष्ट्र, लाहौर, पर एक रिपोर्ट प्रकाशित की हकदार "भारतीय POWs प्रचार झूठा साबित करता है." यह, भाग में कहा: एक अग्रणी भारतीय दैनिक, द ट्रिब्यून के चंडीगढ़, हाल ही में एक तीन पाकिस्तान में संभावित भारतीय POWs पर भाग श्रृंखला भागा. यह रिपोर्ट है कि 58 रक्षा कर्मियों ने पंजाब के विभिन्न जेलों में बासी दावा किया गया है. इन रिपोर्टों के अनुसार, कैदियों "Kot Lakhpat जेल, Sahiwal जेल और Attock किले में सड़ रहे हैं." कैदियों अखबार में उद्धृत के कुछ नाम मेजर अशोक सूरी, एच एस हैं गिल और रूप लाल. इन छानबीन राष्ट्र द्वारा किए रिपोर्टों कि कोई पाउ 1971 युद्ध के पाकिस्तान की सरकार की हिरासत में इस वक्त है प्रगट की प्रतिक्रिया में. अधिकारियों का संबंध स्पष्ट जो अदालतों द्वारा दोषी हैं केवल उन कैदियों को बहुत लंबे समय के लिए रखा जा सकता है. वे वहाँ कुछ कैदियों सुरक्षा में पंजाब सरकार की पुस्तकों पर अपराध नहीं संबंधित करने के लिए आयोजित की जा सकती है, लेकिन यह बहुत लंबे समय के लिए एक व्यक्ति को रोक करने के लिए संभव नहीं था, अगर वे दोषी नहीं किया गया है ने कहा. उन्होंने कहा कि उन विदेशी नागरिकों को सुरक्षा शुल्क पर आयोजित कानून की अदालतों में परीक्षण के लिए गृह विभाग को प्रारंभिक जांच के बाद पूरा हो सौंप रहे हैं, लेकिन यह बाहर सप्ताह या महीनों से अधिक की खुफिया से पहले पारित करने के लिए इस सवाल का कहा था कि उपकरण नियमित परीक्षण और कारावास के लिए ऐसी detenus सौंपा. पंजाब सरकार के सूत्रों का कहना है कि इस समय 56 भारतीय नागरिकों को पंजाब की विभिन्न जेलों में कैद हो गया है. जैसा कि 12 उनमें से कई के रूप में internees, 12 परीक्षण के तहत हो रहे हैं, चार और दो detenus की निंदा की 26 convicts,. दो कैदियों जो शायद सबसे पुराना कैदी हैं (दोनों convicts) के मध्य 1970 के दशक के बाद से जेलों में बंद हैं. उन्होंने कश्मीर सिंह, संसार सिंह और रूप लाल के बेटे हैं (इस नाम के ही एक है ट्रिब्यून रिपोर्ट के साथ जो tallies). रूप लाल, जो जासूसी के आरोप में सजा सुनाई गई है के परिवार के लिए यह अच्छी खबर है, कि उसकी सजा 2000 में पूरा किया जाएगा. हालांकि सभी अन्य कैदियों ने हाल ही में पुरानी में आयोजित कर रहे हैं. जांच इस प्रकार का नरम दावे पर एक सुधार है, लेकिन वास्तव में वहाँ है कि पाकिस्तानी जेलों में बंद भारतीय POWs हैं की एक अधिक संपूर्ण, स्वतंत्र आकलन से कम पड़ता है. चूंकि पाकिस्तान सरकार ने आयोग और चूक के अपने पापों को स्वीकार करने की उम्मीद नहीं कर सकते, यह स्वतंत्र एजेंसियों प्रेस, न्यायपालिका और जो इस मामले को और अधिक पारदर्शी बना सकता है मानव अधिकार संगठनों जैसे है. भारतीय जेलों में, अपने लोगों, यहां तक कि बच्चों, परीक्षण के बिना हिरासत में हैं. जब परीक्षण करने के लिए लाया है, आपराधिक न्याय प्रणाली को इतना धीमा है कि कई लोग, सजा की अवधि में है कि आखिर उन्हें प्रदान किया जाता है की तुलना में undertrials के रूप में जेलों में एक लंबा समय बिताया है पीस. भारतीय जेलों में स्थिति भयावह है. पाकिस्तान एक समय में ३९५ युद्ध के कैदियों को कहा कि 1971 के बाद से लापता थे. भारत किसी भी पाकिस्तानी POWs उसकी हिरासत में हैं खंडन किया है. यदि हम अपने ही जेलों में और अधिक पारदर्शिता के बारे में है, और लाई थी, तो पाकिस्तान का ट्रैक रिकॉर्ड के साथ विषम, यह मदद की होती. यहाँ तक कि अगर हम सही में हैं, जैसा कि इस मामले में, हम है, और उत्साह के साथ हमारे कारण पीछा नहीं है सरकार के आचरण उद्देश्य की स्पष्टता के बजाय पाखंड के साथ tinged प्रतीत होता दिखाई देता है. ऐसा लगता है कि हम जो दर्द में भारत के रक्षा में स्थापित होने के बाद दशकों बिताए हैं हमारे नागरिकों को वापस करने के बारे में गंभीर हैं नहीं लगता. इस वर्ष अप्रैल में, दिल्ली उच्च न्यायालय ने केंद्र को एक याचिका पर से पहले, सरकार ने जगह लेने के लिए एक नोटिस जारी कर इस कदम के 54 सुरक्षा कर्मियों को पाकिस्तान ने 1971 के युद्ध के दौरान कब्जा ट्रेस करने के लिए ले जाया के बारे में न्यायालय ने एक रिपोर्ट में सामने है. इस याचिका, वकील द्वारा दायर K.L. शर्मा ने कहा "सरकार की लापरवाही के लिए इन बहादुर रक्षा कर्मियों के युद्ध बंदियों के आदान प्रदान के समय बिना हिसाब के कारण छोड़ दिया गया." यह "परिकल्पित मृत" इस मामले की जड़ में जाने के बिना उन्हें घोषणा के ( "केंद्र पाक में," POWs पर नोटिस मिलता देख अधिकारियों पर आरोप लगाया की ट्रिब्यून, 23 अप्रैल, 1999). लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल Jagjit सिंह अरोड़ा, 1971 के युद्ध के नायक, वर्तमान में सुप्रीम कोर्ट में एक जनहित याचिका दाखिल करने की प्रक्रिया में है. उन्होंने कहा कि इन POWs न तो मर चुकी है, माना जाता है और न ही जिंदा हैं. अगर वे मर रहे हैं, उनके परिवारों सभी लाभों कि जो कार्रवाई में मरने रक्षा कर्मियों के परिवारों के लिए जमा हो जाना चाहिए पर विचार किया जाना है. यदि वे जीवित विचार कर रहे हैं, उनके परिवारों को वेतन मिलना चाहिए. हालांकि, इन परिवारों को सिर्फ एक मामूली पेंशन भुगतान द्वारा निर्धारित-पैमाने लागू 1971 में प्राप्त करते हैं. जनरल अरोड़ा कहते हैं कि: i) इन भारतीय POWs काम पर है और इसलिए वेतन और पेंशन प्राप्त नहीं चाहिए उनके परिवारों रहे हैं. ii) यह POWs, पदोन्नतियों जब कारण प्राप्त करनी चाहिए और उपयुक्त आयु में सेवानिवृत्ति. iii) उनके परिवारों वर्तमान मानदण्डों के अनुसार ( ",") Vishnudutt शर्मा, दैनिक जागरण, 17 जून, 1999 Taki अपने Yudhbandi Wapas Aayen देख पेंशन और अन्य लाभ मिलना चाहिए. एक याचिका उच्च न्यायालय गुजरात में एक ही लाइनों और न्यायमूर्ति एस के पर दायर किया गया था सशस्त्र बलों के कर्मियों के परिवारों, केंद्र सरकार को नोटिस जारी करके Keshote, इस मामले को गंभीरता से ले रहा है और 28 वर्ष की तलाश लंबे पत्राचार. एक हाल ही में सुनने में, न्यायाधीश ने केन्द्र सरकार को इस मामले पर एक स्टैंड लेने के लिए तीन महीने का समय दिया था. इस याचिका के वकील द्वारा दायर किया गया था M.K. पॉल, उपराष्ट्रपति ने लापता रक्षा कार्मिक रिश्तेदार एसोसिएशन की. हाल ही में, Kulveer सिंह, शहीद भगत सिंह के छोटे भाई, इस मुद्दे से जुड़े हो गया है. इस विचार को गणतंत्र दिवस, 26 जनवरी अगले वर्ष की, मामला और अधिक व्यापक रूप से सार्वजनिक मंचों में जो चर्चा होगी असफल द्वारा इस मामले पर एक स्टैंड लेने के लिए भारत की सरकार से पूछना है. Damayanti Tambay, "क्या इन नेताओं के पास एक एक की प्रियजनों नहीं होने का दर्द का पता है कहते हैं. सिर्फ मैं कैसे मैं पिछले 28 साल के हर पल बिताए पता है. मेरे पति को दुश्मन हमारे देश के लिए लड़, नहीं करने के लिए द्वारा पकड़ा गया अपने आप को. उसे वापस लाने के लिए इस देश के नेताओं की जिम्मेदारी नहीं है? जब मैं एक बात शो, प्रणव मुखर्जी में कांग्रेस से गुस्सा आ गया और कहा, "तुम बहुत आक्रामक हो रही है." तो फिर मैं उस से पूछा यह कहा कि किसी भी की है कि क्या उनके बेटों, बेटियों या दामाद को सशस्त्र सेनाओं में थे. तुम राजनीतिज्ञ का बेटा? प्रणव मुखर्जी के बाद शांत हो गई है कि सेना में जो है मुझे बताओ. अगर इनमें से कोई भी राजनेता 'पुत्राों के युद्ध, या करने के लिए गया में मर गया था दुश्मन की जेलों है, तो वे रक्षा कर्मियों के परिवारों का दर्द ज्ञात होता. " सेवानिवृत्त एयर मार्शल M.S. बावा कहते हैं, "मुझे कुछ खतरनाक संकेत देख सकते हो पाता है. बीच का केवल बच्चों और निम्न वर्गों जबकि ऊपरी कक्षाओं शान्ति और सुरक्षा की स्थिति में अपने बच्चों को भेजने के सशस्त्र बलों के लिए जा रहे हैं. इस प्रकार एक गहरी खाई में सशस्त्र सेनाओं के बीच बना रहा है और सत्ताधारी वर्गों इस खाई को भविष्य में खतरनाक होगा. साबित कर सकते हैं. यह और समाज के हर वर्ग दूर किया जाना चाहिए कि सशस्त्र बलों के साथ एक रिश्ता है चाहिए. " कर्नल R.K. Pattu ने लापता रक्षा कार्मिक रिश्तेदार एसोसिएशन की, "यह इस तरह से पहले नहीं था कहते हैं. महाराजा पटियाला के दोनों बेटों को सशस्त्र सेनाओं में है. ब्रिगेडियर भवानी सिंह ने जयपुर रॉयल परिवार की सेना थी भी में थे. ये लोग केवल एक लिया सांकेतिक वेतन के रूप में रुपया है. 10.-पैरा कमांडो ब्रिगेडियर भवानी सिंह के नेतृत्व में ढाका में देश में प्रथम रहे थे. वह इसके लिए महावीर चक्र प्राप्त किया. इन लोगों ने पैसे के लिए सशस्त्र बलों के लिए नहीं आया था "(" Nigal Gaeen Unhein पाकिस्तानी देखना Jailen?, "कृष्ण मोहन सिंह, आज Saptahik Visheshank, 15 जुलाई, 1999). कर्नल Pattu और स्वतंत्रता के 54 साल "उस में कारगिल में 1962, 1965, 1971 में, भारत युद्ध लड़े हैं और अब कहते हैं. एक छद्म युद्ध पर भी एक लम्बे समय के लिए जा रहा है. इन युद्धों में मारे गए हैं बीस हजार सैनिकों कौन सेना और अर्ध सैनिक बलों के हैं. फिर भी यह प्रतीत होता है हमारे लिए उनकी स्मृति में एक स्मारक बनाने के लिए घटित नहीं हुआ है. बजाय, हम नेताओं ने सत्तारूढ़ पार्टी से संबंधित के स्मारकों के लिए देश की कई एकड़ जमीन समर्पित हैं (हम नहीं यहाँ) गांधी जी ने, जो अपने जीवन के अंत में किसी भी राजनीतिक दल का हिस्सा नहीं था शामिल हैं. इतना ही नहीं, राष्ट्रीय ध्यान और ऊर्जा जन्मदिन और मौत वर्षगाँठ पर इन स्मारकों की यात्रा में बिताया है. हम सार्वजनिक धन के विशाल sums का उपयोग बंद कर देना चाहिए किस व्यक्ति के लिए अनिवार्य रूप से निजी इतिहास बना रहे हैं. " इस अमर जवान ज्योति इंडिया गेट पर ब्रिटिश जो मैं और द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध में लड़ाई की सशस्त्र सेनाओं के मृत पुण्यस्मरण के द्वारा बनाया गया था. इस प्रकार, जिन्हें हम तोप की तरह इस्तेमाल किया है, चारा, जो जब तक हम अपने घरों में सुरक्षित थे सीमाओं पर स्थिर खड़ा था, नहीं किया गया है राष्ट्रीय स्मृति में commemorated. वे काफी हद तक इतिहास के dustbins करने, relegated रहे हैं, जबकि जो लोग misruled और प्रत्येक स्वयं और उनके वंशज के लिए hogging में दूसरे के साथ होड़ करना misgoverned, हमारे सामूहिक राष्ट्रीय स्मारक और श्रद्धांजलि. कि भारतीय राज्य को देश के सशस्त्र बलों के लिए एक निष्पक्ष और पारदर्शी तरीके से अपने दायित्वों को पूरा सुनिश्चित करने की दिशा में चैनल हो सब सोच लोगों को इस मुद्दे पर बलात्कार का अर्थ होगा सकते हैं? वह हम लोगों को उन सशस्त्र बलों द्वारा, उन लोगों के साथ एकजुटता की भावना से बाहर रहने की रक्षा की? आंतरिक और बाह्य रूप से देश की सुरक्षा का यह कठिन कार्य, उन से कहा, 'नहीं छोड़ा है, लेकिन हमारा है'? शिष्टाचार: http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/72-19463.aspx

कुछ उपयोगी जानकारी

कुछ उपयोगी जानकारी

सम्मान OFMENTALLY में अभिभावक द्वारा माता पिता के नामांकन सशस्त्र सेना कर्मियों के बच्चों से मंद
Govt. भारत की सशस्त्र सेना कार्मिक उनकी मानसिक रूप से मंद बच्चों के संबंध में पेंशनरों के जीवन काल के दौरान एक संरक्षक मनोनीत करने के लिए अनुमति देने के लिए सहमति व्यक्त की है. तदनुसार, मानसिक रूप से मंद बेटे या बेटी के मामले में, परिवार पेंशन एक व्यक्ति ने सशस्त्र बलों के कर्मियों या पेंशनरों द्वारा नामित के माध्यम से, देय होगा जैसा भी मामला हो, और हो सकता है के मामले में ऐसी कोई नामांकन सशस्त्र बलों कार्मिक या द्वारा प्रस्तुत किया गया है इस व्यक्ति को मृत कर्मियों या पेंशनभोगी के पति या पत्नी द्वारा नामित के माध्यम से अपने जीवन काल के दौरान पेंशनरों,. हालांकि, इस तरह के कर्मियों / पेंशनरों को भी स्थानीय स्तर की समिति के माध्यम से नेशनल ट्रस्ट के रूप में व्यक्तियों के कल्याण के लिए Autism, सेरेब्राल पक्षाघात, मानसिक मंदता और बहु विकलांगता अधिनियम, साथ कानूनी संरक्षक नियुक्त कर सकते हैं 19999 एवं नियम 2000.
नामांकन प्रपत्र AFA वेब साइट से डाउनलोड किया जा सकता है: www.afa-india.org
Auth: mod पत्र No.PC / म्यूच्युअल फंड-एयर Hqa/24229/283/FPHC/PP एंड आर-3 (क) / 2678 / डी (पेन / नीति) dt.26 अक्टूबर 2007.
संयुक्त राष्ट्र को परिवार पेंशन प्रदान शादीशुदा बेटियों केन्द्रीय सरकार के. नौकर / पेंशनरों Beyond उम्र के 25 साल.
सूचना है कि अविवाहित बेटियों से परे 25 साल प्राप्त बेन है. उम्र का भी बराबर मूल्य में परिवार पेंशन के लिए विधवा / तलाकशुदा बेटियों अन्य शर्तों के अधीन के साथ पूरा किया जा रहा elegible किया जाएगा. अनुदान परिवार पेंशन के लिए / विधवा अविवाहित / तलाकशुदा बेटियों के जन्म की तारीख के क्रम में देय होगा और उनमें से छोटे परिवार पेंशन के लिए जब तक अगले उसके परिवार पेंशन के अनुदान के लिए अयोग्य हो गया है इसके बाद के संस्करण की पात्र नहीं होगा. यह कहा कि परिवार पेंशन / विधवा / तलाक अविवाहित बेटियों को स्पष्ट किया है 25 साल की उम्र है 25 वर्ष की आयु से नीचे के अन्य पात्र बच्चों के बाद ही समाप्त होगा परिवार पेंशन प्राप्त करने के लिए पात्र होगा और देय होगा कि कोई अक्षम है बच्चे के परिवार को पेंशन प्राप्त करने के लिए.
Auth: नंबर 1 (3) / 2007-डी (पेन / नीति) Govt. mod dt.25 भारत के अक्टूबर 2007.
मुद्दे डुप्लीकेट पेंशन बुक की

प्रति पैरा 107 पेंशन भुगतान निर्देश (पीपीआई) 1971 के रूप में () संशोधित, पेंशन संवितरण एजेंसियां (पीडीए / बैंकों को पेंशनभोगी का प्रमाणपत्र खो दिया है के मामले में दोहरे पेंशन बुक जारी करने, प्राधिकृत कर रहे हैं चोरी की सूचना दी, नष्ट या ऊपर का उपयोग करें.

प्रधानमंत्री का योग्यता छात्रवृत्ति योजना

• लागू होने के बच्चों के लिए ही / ESM अधिकारियों से नीचे की विधवाओं जो इंजीनियरिंग, चिकित्सा, दंत चिकित्सा, पशु चिकित्सा, एमबीए, एमसीए में संबंधित सरकार द्वारा मान्यता प्राप्त प्रथम वर्ष पेशेवर डिग्री पाठ्यक्रम में शामिल में शामिल रैंक.
4000 छात्रवृत्तियों की कुल • उपलब्ध हैं.
• छात्रवृत्ति लड़कों और लड़कियों सालाना भुगतान के लिए Rs.1500 / - दोपहर के लिए Rs.1250 / - दोपहर है.
• 10 +2 स्तर पर 60% अंक कम से कम आरंभिक मंजूरी के लिए आवश्यक है.
• दो के रूप में संबंधित नियामक निकाय द्वारा अनुमोदित की अवधि के पांच साल के लिए.
• आवेदन Rs.30 / - या भी कर सकते हो नीचे वेबसाइट से भरा खर्च
http://www.dgrindia.com
• पूर्ण आवेदन प्रस्तुत करना होगा इससे पहले 31 अगस्त हर साल.
अधिक जानकारी के लिए / आवेदन प्रपत्रों से संपर्क करें:

केन्द्रीय सैनिक बोर्ड,
पश्चिम ब्लॉक - चतुर्थ, विंग - वी, आर के पुरम,
नई दिल्ली 110 066.

टिप्पणी:
लाभ यहां आसानी से उपलब्ध नहीं हैं उल्लेख किया. एक इसे पाने के लिए दर्द को लेने के लिए गया है. स्थानीय Esm में सदस्य बने. कल्याण Assn. और उनके मार्गदर्शन मिलता है. इन निर्देशों के साथ दिग्गजों परिचित जरूरतमंद पेंशनरों मार्गदर्शन करने के लिए अनुरोध कर रहे हैं.

शिष्टाचार: AFA TN शाखा समाचार पत्र. मई 2008
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ASSURED DECENT LAST RITES TO VETERANS

ASSURED DECENT LAST RITES (ADLR SCHEME)

A decent last rites can be performed only when there is sufficient money in hand. Here is the scheme called ADLR for all the ex-servicemen and their families in performing the last rites in a decent and honourable manner.

The word ‘Assured’, I presume probably was coined by the great visionary and the God father of the veterans the then GOC, ATNK&K Area Maj.Gen.A.S.Jamwal, who was instrumental in introducing the scheme w.e.f. 31 May 2002. The ex-servicemen community should not forget this great social reformer.

Unlike any government welfare schemes, one need not run around any where for getting various certificates from the revenue authorities. (One has to spend sizable amount to get the Funeral grant from the Zilla Sainik Boards) (The death certificate, legal heirship certificates are a prerequisite for this funeral grant) The funeral grants are kept pending for a number of months in the District Collector offices for want of funds. Whereas this ADLR scheme provides great relief from the clutches of various revenue officials. All one has to do is just inform the parent Canteen (over phone or through a reliable messenger) giving the full particulars of the deceased card holder about the date and time of death and the probable time of funeral so as to enable to canteen staff to make necessary arrangements as required.

A maximum grant of Rs.2,500/- is being paid to assist the family in performing the last rites in a decent and honourable manner. The amount will be given on the spot to the next of kin/expended by the Field staff for assisting decent and honourable last rites of the veterans. In the absence of Next of Kin (NOK) or on the request of the family, the responsibility of organizing the last rites will be taken on by the Field staff detailed from Station Headquarters. A photographic record of the event will be maintained for reports and returns/audit purpose. All transactions will be accounted for by the Station HQ and the dependent CSD Canteen.

As death is assured to every one so is the grant under the scheme. It is a noble scheme for the poor and down Trodden specially the 2^nd World War veterans who are fortunately given canteen cards. All the canteen card holders are eligible for the grant (All Officers, PBORs and their widows) All veterans please be informed of this scheme and be helpful to the needy veterans and their families.

ALONE AND VULNERABLE

ALONE AND VULNERABLE - LIVING ON MEMORIES

“WHERE I LIVE

There are some 25 houses on the street where I live. Every second house has an elderly widow – and a story. This small south Delhi colony was built some 30 years ago by government servants, men with some power but limited purses. The men are all gone now but the women live on. As land prices have escalated, these houses are now valuable property and vicious family dramas are unfolding.

• Mrs.C. ‘shares’ a house with her son and his family. After her husband’s death her son claimed the property was his. She stoutly asserted her right and the matter went to court. She is allowed only a room in the house and cooks separately. She spends her days in her daughter’s home, only sleeping at night in her own house.

• Mrs.A has been the unluckiest of all. Her two, no-good sons refused to let her give even a third of the property to her married daughter. They had secured power of attorney from their unsuspecting old mother and sold the three-storied house to a broker. She was left living in the small annexe to the house. A day came when her sons brought in goondas to evict her. Mrs.A. fled to her daughter’s home. She died of heartbreak within the year.” These are real stories, unembellished, as the writer has witnessed them.
Courtesy:Sujatha Mathok
“The Hindu” Dt.05/04/2009

Out of a population of six million people, 10 per cent of them being senior citizens, issues relating to care of the elderly are of great significance in Chennai. Mr.K.Radhakrishnan, Director, Dignity Foundation, Chennai, agrees. “ There is no doubt that elder abuse is increasing. In fact, our help line (044-24493165) gets about five or six calls specifically relating to elder abuse every month”. He says.

With years of experience working with the elderly, the Foundation has a set in place a meticulous system to handle calls from elders who claim they have been abused and, if necessary, provide intervention. A trained social worker and a volunteer visit the home and study the situation there. “Most of the calls we get are truly calls for help. There may be few instances where they are not, but we do not worry about them”.

Major cause:
The Foundation has also discovered that 95 per cent of the causes of abuse arise out of property disputes. “Children nag their parents to bequeath property to them even when they are alive. Some of them want all the property, denying their siblings. When the elderly refuse to do so, the abuse begins,” Mr.Radhakrishnan explains.

Senior geriatrician V.S.Natarajan agrees. He recounts the case of one of his patients from Purasawalkam (in Chennai). The elderly gentleman had two daughters and had split his property into three, bequeathing two thirds to his children equally and retaining one third for himself and his wife. While one daughter was settled in the US, he was living with other daughter in Chennai.

After her business failed she kept pressuring her father to give her the one third he had retained for himself. When he refused, she picked up a heavy rod and hit him on the head. The old man rushed to this geriatrician with bleeding injuries, Dr.Natarajan says, “This was a well-educated upper middle class family. Just goes to show that social status and wealth are no immunity against being abused in old age”, he adds.

India’s elderly population has risen from nearly two crores in 1951 to 7.2 crores in 2001. About eight percent of the population is over 60 and by 2025 that figure will cross 18 per cent. Life expectancy has risen from merely 29 years in 1947 to 63 years now.

There is a clear need for action on the policy and planning front. Random sops such as a lower tax slab or concessional train fares for senior, although welcome, do not couch the heart of the matter.

There are no signs of a pension fund for ensuring security for unorganized sector workers. There are too few old age homes and day-care centres and legislation for ensuring compulsory geriatric care in public hospitals is still awaited.

The only law for seniors came as late as 2007 when Parliament passed the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act.

This law is focused on the issue of maintenance and puts the responsibility squarely on the family with children, grandchildren and other relatives liable for paying a living allowance to the elderly. Abandonment of the old is punishable by imprisonment and fine. Maintenance tribunals are to be set up to provide speedy redressal. So far, some 15 States have set up tribunals.

The valuable clause of the Act is the provision for declaring void any property transfer by the elderly, if the relative to whom it is bequeathed does not maintain the person satisfactorily.

The law does not address the multiple problems of the elderly in a comprehensive manner. Clearly a much stronger law to protect the property, assets and human rights of the elderly is the need of the hour.

A TALE OF TWO OFFICERS

A TALE OF TWO OFFICERS

Relative rewards of a military and civil services career

THIS is a true story, adapted from Colonel. Rajan’s public lament, a tale typical of every officer and jawan. S.S.Rajan, the son of an army officer, joined the army with an engineering degree and was commissioned in the Corps of ‘Engineers in June 1963, with his pay at Rs.460 per month. He served in NEFA and later fought in the Indo-Pak war of 1971. In that war, his vehicle was blown up, maiming and killing his comrades, but he was lucky to escape with major injuries. He was recommended for the Vishisht Seva Medal on four occasions.

After over 19 years of service, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, whereas IAS and IPS officers automatically become joint secretaries and equivalent on completion of 18 years of service or less. Rajan was promoted to Colonel in August 1985 and retired after over 33 years of meritorious service, when he had a daughter aged 15 and a son aged 8 to take care of. He received a pension of Rs.9125 per month and got a lump sum of Rs.10 lakh for commutation of pension, gratuity, provident fund, army group insurance and leave encashment – not enough to buy even a small two-bedroom flat in Bangalore, To add insult to injury, his pay was fixed at the “starting pay” for a colonel plus one increment, whereas it should have been fixed at the maximum pay eligible for a colonel.

Rajan’s contemporary, R.Swaminathan, joined the Armed Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) Cadre as a lower division clerk, being in the AFHQ Cadre, he was posted in Delhi throughout his career. He worked hard and steadily rose up the ladder, with promotions at regular intervals and finally retired as Deputy DG (Personnel) in June 2003. His children studied in one school throughout. Before his retirement, his son graduated as an engineer from IIT, Delhi and his daughter graduated as a doctor from AIIMS, Delhi. Not being subjected to transfers he could afford to save more.

On retirement, Swami Nathan was granted pension on par with a Senior Deputy Secretary (IAS) and got Rs.45 lakh in cash, by way of gratuity, provident fund, leave encashment and commutation. This is not an isolated instance. It happens to all military personnel. The telling effect of this true story on the morale of soldiers and their children is obvious. Rumblings have increased and should be heard by the discerning, before a catastrophe occurs.

Courtesy: “Indian Ex-serviceman” May 2008

SOME USEFUL INFORMATION

SOME USEFUL INFORMATION

NOMINATION OF GUARDIAN BY PARENTS IN RESPECT OF MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN OF ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL
Govt. of India have agreed to allow Armed Forces Personnel to nominate a guardian in respect of their mentally retarded children during the lifetime of the pensioners. Accordingly, in case of mentally retarded son or daughter, the family pension shall be payable through a person nominated by the Armed Forces personnel or pensioners, as the case may be, and in case no such nomination has been furnished by the Armed Forces Personnel or Pensioners during their life time, through the person nominated by the spouse of the deceased personnel or pensioner. However, such personnel/pensioners can also appoint legal guardian through local level committee in terms of the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 19999 & rules 2000.

Nomination pro forma can be downloaded from AFA web site: www.afa-india.org

Auth: MOD letter No.PC/MF-Air Hqa/24229/283/FPHC/PP&R-3(i)/2678/D (Pen/Policy) dt.26 Oct 2007.

GRANT OF FAMILY PENSION TO UN-MARRIED DAUGHTERS OF CENTRAL GOVT. SERVANTS/PENSIONERS BEYOND 25 YEARS OF AGE.

Information has been received that unmarried daughters beyond 25 yrs. Of age shall also be elegible for family pension at par with the widowed/divorced daughters subject to other conditions being fulfilled. Grant of family pension to unmarried /widowed/divorced daughters shall be payable in order of their date of birth and younger of them will not be eligible for family pension unless the next above her has become ineligible for grant of family pension. It is further clarified that family pension to unmarried/widowed/divorced daughters have the age of 25 years shall be payable only after the other eligible children below the age of 25 years have ceased to be eligible to receive family pension and that there is no disabled child to receive the family pension.

Auth: No.1(3)/2007-D(Pen/Policy) Govt. of India, MOD dt.25 Oct 2007.

ISSUE OF DUPLICATE PENSION BOOK

As per para 107 of Pension Payment Instructions (PPI) 1971 (Revised), Pension Disbursing Agencies (PDA/Banks are authorized to issue duplicate Pension Book in case the Pensioner’s Certificate is lost, reported stolen, destroyed or use up.

PRIME MINISTER’S MERIT SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

• Applicable only for the wards / widows of ESM below officers rank who joined joined first year professional degree courses in Engineering, Medicine, Dental, Veterinary, MBA, MCA recognized by the respective Govt.

• A total of 4000 scholarships are available.

• Scholarship is Rs.1,250/- pm for boys and Rs.1,500/- p.m. for girls paid annually.

• At least 60% marks at the 10+2 level is required for initial sanction.

• Two to Five years of duration as approved by the concerned regulatory body.

• Application costs Rs.30/- or can also be down loaded from website
http://www.dgrindia.com

• Completed applications have to be submitted before 31 August each year.

For more details/application forms contact:

Kendriya Sainik Board, West Block – IV, Wing – V, RK Puram, New Delhi 110 066.

Comment: The benefits mentioned herein are not easily available. One has to take pain to get it. Become member in the local Esm. Welfare Assn. and get their guidance. Veterans conversant with these instructions are requested to guide the needy pensioners.
Courtesy: AFA TN Branch News Letter. May 2008

INDIAN POWs FROM THE 1971 WAR ! HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THEM !!

INDIAN POWs FROM THE 1971 WAR ROTTING IN TSP JAILS!

HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THEM !!

War means different things to different people. For business connected with war armament and supplies, it is an occasion to make quick and big money. For the ruling politicians, it provides a fertile ground for jingoism to project themselves as saviours of the nation and to make political capital out of it. Just as prime minister Vajpayee and his party used the Kargil war to good effect in the recent elections, Indira Gandhi was able to exploit the 1971 war with Pakistan to emerge as an indefatigable Durga of the subcontinent.

However, war means something else for the soldiers and officers who are used as cannon fodder. A few of those who are killed in some dramatic battle might receive a measure of recognition by way of posthumous awards and rewards, but most remain anonymous, mere statistics for the chronicle writers.

The worst fate though befalls those who are captured by the enemy, especially if they happen to be soldiers and citizens of a state that places shamefully low value on its own citizens' lives, including the ones expected to shed their young blood and lay down their lives for their country's defence.

In this article Anjana Mehta provides us a glimpse of how the Indian government has maltreated the 54 armymen who are believed to be rotting in Pakistani jails since the 1971 Indo-Pak war. She compiled this article largely through information provided by Colonel R.K. Pattu, working president of the Missing Personnel Relatives Association.

For nearly three decades, fifty-four families have awaited the return of their sons, husbands, fathers and brothers from the 1971 war. These men were reportedly captured alive by the Pakistan army and have been imprisoned ever since. When the Indian government released more than 92,000 prisoners of war in the aftermath of the Bangladesh war, it did not ensure that all Indian armed forces personnel captured by Pakistani authorities were simultaneously released. Over two hundred Indian soldiers were eventually repatriated from Pakistan, but not those of higher ranks. Though the officers' families went to welcome the train bearing repatriated Indian defence personnel from Pakistan, there was no reunion with their own loved ones. After suffering many years of agony, the families finally took action by forming a Missing Defence Personnel Relatives Association, whose mandate was to act jointly to pressure the Government of India to recover the missing officers.

It was on December 3, 1971, that the Indo-Pak war broke out. It lasted for 14 days, culminating in the surrender of the Pakistan forces in the Eastern sector and the creation of Bangladesh. More than 92,000 Pakistani soldiers were taken prisoner by India. Likewise, in the Western sector, some Indian defence personnel were captured by Pakistan. Following the Simla Agreement of 1972, prisoners of war were exchanged, yet some of the Indian prisoners remained unaccounted for, and stayed in detention in Pakistan. The harsh condition of their existence in jail is highlighted by the following words in Victoria Schoffield's book, Bhutto - Trial and Execution:

In addition to these conditions at Kot Lakhpat, for three months Bhutto was subjected to a peculiar kind of harassment, which he thought was especially for his benefit. His cell, separated from a barrack area by a 10 foot high wall, did not prevent him from hearing horrific shrieks and screams at night from the other side of the wall. One of Mr Bhutto's lawyers made enquiries amongst the jail staff and ascertained that they were in fact Indian prisoners-of-war who had been rendered delinquent and mental during the course of the 1971 war. When the time came to exchange prisoners, the Indian government would not accept these lunatics, who had no recollection of their place of origin, and so they were retained as prisoners to eke out their existence in Kot Lakhpat. Bhutto, discovering the precise temperament of the inmates, wrote to the jail superintendent with a copy of the letter addressed to his lawyer (which was released to the press), requesting that they be moved - finally they were. Obviously the authorities would not accept that Mr Bhutto's sleep was being disturbed on purpose, but Bhutto did not forget the sleepless nights he spent and referred often to the lunatics in other letters of complaint. Fifty odd lunatics were lodged in the ward next to mine. Their screams and shrieks in the dead of night are something I will not forget,' he wrote.

From Schoffield's account, it thus appears that it was the Government of India who did not accept these Indian prisoners of war, even though they were offered for exchange by Pakistan following the Simla agreement.

The Geneva convention on prisoners of war states that they shall be released and repatriated without delay after cessation of active hostilities. Prisoners of war against whom criminal proceedings for indictable offences are pending may be detained until the end of such proceedings, and if necessary, until the completion of the punishment. The same shall apply to the prisoners of war already convicted for an indictable offence. Parties to the conflict shall communicate to each other the names of any prisoners of war who are detained till the end of proceedings or until punishment has been completed. By agreement between the parties to the conflict, commissions shall be established for the purpose of searching for dispersed prisoners of war and assuring their repatriation with the least possible delay (see "The Forgotten Heroes" by Tarun Basu with Asoka Raina; Contour, April 6, 1980). India and Pakistan are both signatories to the Geneva Convention.

There is no record available to us proving that the Government of India did in fact constitute such a commission, either to trace missing Indian personnel in Pakistan, or to assure Pakistan in a transparent manner that there were no Pakistani prisoners in India (as the Pakistan government too had claimed that some of its armed personnel were missing).

On perusing the various documents collected by the Missing Defence Personnel Relatives Association, it becomes clear that the Indian government has been about as competent in protecting the interests of the armed forces as it has been with our other institutions. The repeated, desperate pleas of the missing personnel's relatives are attended to perfunctorily. Rather than vigorously lobbying for the return of its missing personnel, the government seems to ignore every fresh piece of evidence pertaining to the soldiers still rotting in Pakistani jails. The burden of investigation has therefore fallen on the families, who have painstakingly collected information regarding the forgotten officers. (See box for some of these details)

Major Ashok K Suri
Ø On January 6 or 7, 1972, the name of Ashok Suri of Faridabad was mentioned in the Punjabi Darbar programme of Radio Lahore.
Ø On December 26, 1974, R.S. Suri, Ashok Suri's father, received a handwritten note by Ashok Suri dated December 7, 1974.
Ø On August 13, 1975, R.S. Suri received a note dated 14, 15 and 16 June 1975 from Karachi written by Ashok Suri disclosing that there were 20 officers detained in Pakistan.
Ø In 1976 R.S. Suri received information from a contact that Ashok Suri was captured on December 2, 1971, before the actual declaration of war had been made, and that such persons on both sides were considered as spies.
Ø R.S. Suri received further information about Ashok Suri having been shifted from Karachi to NWEP to Johat, Swabi, Mardan and Malakand.
Ø Mukhtiar Singh, who was repatriated from Pakistan on July 5, 1988, said that Major Ashok Suri was in Kot Lakhpat jail at that time.
Flight Lieutenant V.V. Tambay
Ø The Sunday Pakistan Observer, dated December 5, 1971, gave news from Rawalpindi datelined December 4, 1971, that five Indian pilots had been captured alive. One of the names published was that of Flight Lieutenant Tambay.
Ø Tambay's wife had a chance meeting in 1978 with a Bangladeshi Naval Officer who was taken prisoner in Pakistan during the war. In Lyallpur jail he had come across a person named Tambay. The Officer remembered that Tambay had a scar on the chin (which was true she confirmed).
Ø Daljit Singh, who was repatriated from Pakistan on March 24, 1988, had seen Flight Lieutenant Tambay at the Lahore Interrogation Centre in February, 1978.
Major A.K. Ghosh
Ø Time magazine dated December 27, 1971, carried a photograph of an Indian prisoner behind bars. This photo turned out to be that of Major A.K. Ghosh, who did not return with the Indian POWs.
Captain Ravinder Kaura
Ø His name was announced on Radio Lahore on December 7, 1991.
Ø His photograph from a Pakistani jail was smuggled into India and published by a newspaper in Ambala in 1972.
Ø Someone who had been with Captain Kaura in the Pakistan jail came to see L.D. Kaura, Ravinder's father, in 1979. (The government of India had in the meantime declared Captain Kaura dead and awarded him a Veer Chakra posthumously).
Ø Further information came in that Captain Kaura was kept in Lahore, Multan, Sahiwal and Rawalpindi jails.
Ø Mukhtiar Singh, repatriated from Pakistan on July 5, 1988, said that Captain Kaura was in Multan jail around 1981 and was presently in Kot Lakhpat jail.

Not only family members of the soldiers, but also other army personnel maintain that prisoners continue to languish needlessly in Pakistani jails. Lieutenant General (Retired) K.P. Candeth, who was GOC-in-C, Western Command, during the 1971 Indo-Pak war is one such believer. "I am sure they did capture some of our soldiers and have them in Pakistan. They should be declared POWs. At the end of the war, when we sent back all Pakistani prisoners, they also should have sent the prisoners in their captivity back to India. But in this particular case, Pakistan on some pretext or another held them back," he says (see "Indian Soldiers Languishing in Pakistani Jails," Organizer, April 7, 1996). The Indian government also did not unremittingly pursue the trail ? then warm. In allowing the trail to go cold, it let down those who sent their loved ones to our fronts with full faith that the Indian people were behind them.

On September 4, 1996, two members of the Rajya Sabha, O.P. Kohli and Satish Pradhan, asked I.K. Gujral, then minister of external affairs, whether the government was aware that as many as 40 defence personnel captured by Pakistan during the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict were still in foreign custody. The minister replied that according to available information, 54 missing Indian defence personnel were believed to be in Pakistan's custody. It was regretted that Pakistan had not responded positively to the numerous constructive proposals made by the Indian side over the years for resolving this humanitarian issue. The Government of Pakistan, however, maintained that there were no Indian defence personnel in its custody.

In an affidavit filed last year in court, Mohan Lal Bhaskar, who returned to the country following the exchange of prisoners, stated that "during my stay in Pakistani jails, I came to know that at Kot Lakhpat jail, Lahore, Indian POWs were rotting in various jails. Col. Asif Shafi of the Second Punjab Regiment of Pakistan, who was also in jail, confirmed that more than 45 officers of the Indian Army, including Wing Commander H.S. Gill and others, were confined to the Fort of Atak and there were no chances of their release. Most of them had been charged with spying and were sentenced. In spite of completing the sentence they were not released from the Pakistani jails. Many Indian citizens, including Army officers, have been illegally detained in Pakistani jails without a trial. The Pakistan Government was not respecting the human rights of the prisoners in the jails" (see "Indian Prisoners in Pak Jails" by R. Suryamurthy and Rahul Das, The Tribune, March 28, 1999).
Even though Pakistan and India have abysmal records of trashing the human rights of their own citizens, it is still incumbent upon both countries not to treat POWs with the same indifference, as per the Geneva Convention.

Speaking on the Zee TV programme Helpline, Riaz Khokar (the previous Pakistan High Commissioner in India), denied the presence of Indian POWs in Pakistan. "These allegations are totally baseless. There is no reason why we should keep them back," he said. "In every investigation that we have conducted, we have found nothing" (see "Missing," by Anuja Pande, Sunday, February 25, and March 2, 1996). In 1981, as a goodwill gesture, Pakistan had agreed to allow an International Red Cross team to help trace the missing defence personnel. The team came a cropper. And again in 1989, the Pakistanis agreed to conduct a fresh search for the missing men of the 1971 war. In other forums, the Pakistani government has maintained that it does not have Indian POWs, and that the relatives of these defence personnel are welcome to visit Pakistani jails to see for themselves that there are no Indian prisoners of war there.

In September 1983, a delegation of six relatives - including the relatives of Major Suri, Major Ghosh and Flight Lieutenant Tambay?were sent from India to visit Multan jail in Pakistan. Unfortunately, they all came back feeling cheated. "We were allowed to visit only one jail and this jail had none of the defence personnel," says Ashutosh Ghosh.

Some came back even more horrfied. Damayanti Tambay recollects, "In a small cell there were some forty to fifty prisoners herded together. Most of them were in chains and some were tied to pillars." These were Indians allegedly caught for petty crimes like smuggling (see also "Missing," by Anuja Pande, Sunday, February 25, and March 2, 1996).

Disappointed by the government of India's failure to secure the release of POWs, Dr Suri, father of Major Ashok Suri and President of Missing Defence Personnel Relatives Association, wrote to Justice Ranganatha Mishra, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission. Justice Mishra assured the relatives that he would take up the matter with his Pakistani counterpart as well as with the International Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International (see "Indian Soldiers Languishing in Pakistani Jails," Organizer, April 7, 1996). On August 14, 1999, prominent human rights and civil liberties activists, academics and defence experts spoke at a seminar on the plight of POWs and displaced persons, making a strong plea to Pakistan and Iraq to release the POWs who had been trapped in both countries for several years. There were more than fifty Indian, and six hundred and five Kuwaiti POWs in Pakistani and Iraqi prisons respectively, and both countries had shown reluctance to release them. The seminar was organised by the Citizens Organisation of Indian Ocean Rim (COIOR) (see the news update service on indiaserver.com, August 14, 1999).
On April 23, 1999, The Nation, Lahore, published a report entitled "Indian POWs Hype Proves False." It said, in part:

A leading Indian daily, The Tribune of Chandigarh, recently ran a three-part series on probable Indian POWs in Pakistan. The reports claim that 58 defence personnel have been languishing in various jails of the Punjab. According to these reports, prisoners "are rotting in Kot Lakhpat jail, Sahiwal jail and Attock Fort." A few names of the prisoners quoted in the newspaper are Major Ashok Suri, H.S. Gill and Roop Lal.
In response to these reports the investigation carried out by The Nation reveals that no POW of 1971 war is in the custody of the Government of Pakistan at the moment. The officers concerned categorically said only those prisoners who are convicted by the courts could be kept for so long. They said there could be some prisoners held for committing security related offences not on the books of the Punjab Government, but it was not possible to detain a person for so long if they have not been convicted. They said that even those foreign nationals held on security charges are handed over to the home department for trials in the courts of law after the preliminary investigations are completed, but it was out of the question for more than weeks or months to pass before the intelligence apparatus handed over such detenus for regular trial and imprisonment.
The sources in the Punjab Government disclosed that at present there are 56 Indian nationals confined in various jails of the Punjab. As many as 12 of them are internees, 12 are under trial, 26 convicts, four condemned and two detenus. Two of the prisoners (both convicts) who are perhaps the oldest prisoners are in the jails since mid 1970s. They are Kashmir Singh, son of Sansar Singh and Roop Lal (this name is the only one which tallies with The Tribune reports). The good news for the family of Roop Lal, who has been convicted on the charges of espionage, is that his sentence will be completed in 2000. However all other prisoners are held in the recent vintage.

This kind of investigation is an improvement on bland assertions, but falls short of a more thorough, independent assessment of whether indeed there are Indian POWs in Pakistani jails. Since the Pakistan government cannot be expected to acknowledge its sins of commission and omission, it is independent agencies such as the press, judiciary and human rights organisations which could make the case more transparent.

In Indian jails, our own people, even children, are detained without trial. When brought to trial, the criminal justice system is so slow-grinding that many people have spent a longer time in jails as undertrials, than in the term of punishment that is finally awarded to them. The conditions in Indian jails are appalling. Pakistan at one time said three hundred and ninety-five of its prisoners of war were missing since 1971. India has denied that any Pakistani POWs are in its custody. If we had brought about more transparency in our own jails, and then contrasted it with Pakistan's track record, it would have helped. Even if we are in the right, as appears in this case, we don't pursue our cause with vigour, and the government's conduct appears to be tinged with hypocrisy rather than clarity of purpose. It does not seem that we are serious about getting back our nationals who have spent decades in agony after setting out in defence of India.

In April of this year, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Centre on a petition before it, seeking the Government to place before the Court a report about the steps taken to trace the 54 defence personnel captured by Pakistan during the 1971 war. The petition, filed by advocate K.L. Sharma, stated "Due to the negligence of the government these brave defence personnel were left unaccounted at the time of the exchange of war prisoners." It accused the authorities of declaring them "presumed dead" without going into the roots of the case (see "Centre gets notice on POWs in Pak," The Tribune, April 23, 1999).

Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Arora, the 1971 war hero, is presently in the process of filing a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court. He says that these POWs are neither considered dead, nor alive. If they are to be considered dead, their families should get all the benefits that accrue to families of defence personnel who die in action. If they are considered alive, their families should receive their salaries. However, these families receive only a meagre pension determined by pay-scales applicable in 1971. General Arora says that:
i) these Indian POWs are on duty and therefore their families should receive salaries and not pensions.
ii) The POWs should receive promotions when due, and retirement at the appropriate age.
iii) Their families should get pensions and other benefits according to present norms (see "Taki Apne Yudhbandi Wapas Aayen," Vishnudutt Sharma, Dainik Jagaran, June 17, 1999).

A petition was filed in the High Court of Gujarat on the same lines and Justice S.K. Keshote, taking this case seriously and looking to the 28 year long correspondence by the families of the armed forces personnel, issued notice to the Central government. In a recent hearing, the judge gave three months' time to the Central Government to take a stand on this matter. The petition was filed by advocate M.K. Paul, the Vice-President of the Missing Defence Personnel Relatives Association.
Recently, Kulveer Singhji, younger brother of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, has become associated with this issue. The idea is to ask the Government of India to take a stand on the matter by Republic Day, January 26 of next year, failing which the matter would be discussed more widely in public forums.
Damayanti Tambay says, "What do these politicians know of the pain of not having one's loved ones near one. Only I know how I spent every moment of the last 28 years. My husband was caught by the enemy fighting for our country, not for himself. Is it not the responsibility of this country's politicians to get him back? When I said this in a talk show, Pranab Mukherjee from the Congress got angry and said, "You are being very aggressive." I then asked him whether any of his sons, daughters or sons-in-law were in the armed forces. You tell me which politician's son is in the army? Pranab Mukherjee became quiet after that. If any of these politicians' sons had died in the war, or gone to the enemy's prisons, then they would have known the pain of the families of the defence personnel."

Retired Air Marshal M.S. Bawa asserts, "I can see some dangerous signals. Only the children of the middle and lower classes are going to the armed forces while the upper classes send their children into positions of comfort and security. Thus a deep chasm is forming between the armed forces and the ruling classes. This chasm can prove to be dangerous in the future. It should be bridged and every section of society should have a relationship with the armed forces." Colonel R.K. Pattu of the Missing Defence Personnel Relatives Association adds, "it was not like this before. Both sons of the Maharaja of Patiala were in the armed forces. Brigadier Bhawani Singh of the Jaipur Royal family was also in the army. These people took only one rupee as token salary. The 10th para-commandos led by Brigadier Bhawani Singh were the first to land in Dhaka. He received the Mahavir Chakra for this. These people had not come to the armed forces for money" (see "Nigal Gaeen Unhein Pakistani Jailen?," Krishna Mohan Singh, Aaj Saptahik Visheshank, July 15, 1999).

Colonel Pattu further adds that "in 54 years of independence, India has fought wars in 1962, 1965, 1971 and now in Kargil. A proxy-war has also been going on for a long time. Twenty thousand soldiers have died in these wars who belong to the military and para-military forces. Yet it has seemingly not occurred to us to build a memorial in their memory. Instead, we have devoted several acres of land to the memorials of politicians belonging to the ruling party (we don't include here Gandhiji, who was not part of any political party towards the end of his life). Not only that, national attention and energy is spent in visiting these memorials on birthdays and death anniversaries. We must stop using vast sums of public money to make what are essentially private memorials for individuals."

The Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate was built by the British to commemorate the dead of the armed forces who fought in World War I and II. Thus, those whom we have used like cannon-fodder, those who stood steadfast at the borders while we were safe in our homes, have not been commemorated in national memory. They are largely relegated to the dustbins of history, while those who misruled and misgoverned vie with each other in hogging for themselves and their progeny, our collective national remembrance and homage.

Can the sense of outrage all thinking people will have on this issue be channelled towards ensuring that the Indian State meets its obligations to the country's armed forces in a fair and transparent manner? That we, the people protected by those armed forces, live out of a sense of solidarity with them? That the arduous task of protecting the country internally and externally, is not left to them,' but belongs to us"?

Courtesy:http://www.strategypage.com/