THE EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE DEPARTMENT

The so called “Ex Servicemen Welfare Department” does not have a single ex-serviceman.

We should demand the following for the “Ex Servicemen Welfare Department” of the Ministry of Defence  –

1.     The Departmental Head should be a serving or retired Defence Officer of appropriate rank.

2.    At the next level there should be an officer each from Army, Navy and Airforce (serving or retired).

3.    The remaining staff of the Department should have 50% retired or serving Defence personnel of appropriate rank and the remaining 50% should be civilians to provide longer continuity in the department.

4.    The entire clerical staff should be retired Defence personnel only, which should be from all three services.

I also take this opportunity to appeal to all our military writers that for next six months to year they should concentrate on writing on the burning issues related to ex-servicemen. For next one year or so, our military writers should forget problems related to Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and USA or other general issues. Just concentrate on ESM issues.

Fifteen to twenty more articles in quick succession, like the one below (and few such written in the past), in various national dailies and major regional papers can help us in winning the public opinion and may wake up our sleeping political leaders. Let the tone of such articles be stronger and stronger gradually – it will then force the bureaucracy also to think sensibly.

For consideration of all ESM to persuade our military writers – who all are very well known to you.

bY Gen. Kadyan.

In service of Indian Military Veterans

Chander Kamboj.

-------------