Dear Mr Chidambaram,
I am sure all men women who have worn uniform were very pleased to read for once, appreciative words from the Finance Minister in this mornings newspapers. We never knew that you could say anything like that about the lowly soldiers. While the people rescued in Uttarakhand say that they saw Gods in uniform, who not only saved their lives but also went out of their way to look after famished, cold, injured, shelterless and under clothed hapless citizens while the state administration including the police, twiddled its thumbs.
It is an old story that the soldiers have witnessed many a time in their service specially, after a war or a natural calamity. The government and people are all praise when the hazard is faced by them but once the problem has been tackled successfully by the soldiers, they are forgotten as if they never existed. Governments are ever ready to open their purse strings when it requires placating a vote bank but when it is the turn of the soldier to meet his legitimate dues, the purses are locked away. Even when the force of a Supreme Court judgement is behind them. All kinds of excuses are put forward like illegitimacy of the order, financial stringency, too much work involved in calculating the dues (in an IT strong country!) and such other frivolous excuses.
Your Ministry is ever willing to reduce rates of interests for all kinds of loan takers but you crib about giving 6 % interest to soldiers who the Court has stated were deliberately denied their legitimate dues. Consequently you managed to deprive soldiers 20 years interest due to them from 1986 to 2006. Surely the amount due to HEROES, as per your unsolicited statement, will not help you balance your budget. Many have passed on waiting for the government to give them their dues and many more will, but the government will continue to be heartless towards soldiers whose only fault is that they are part of an efficient body, shining in a sea of sloth!
Go ahead Sir, carry on as you are doing, the Defence Services will continue to perform as well as before but they will know who to curse when its comes to a crunch! (As Gen Patton told his soldiers in much much more flowery language)
Lt Gen SK Bahri (Retd)
Chairman
Alliance Of Ex Servicemen Organisations
A3/502 World Spa East
Sector 30/41
Gurgaon 122001
Tele 0124 4143180/181
Mob +9810002800
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