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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Rank Pay, anyone ??? (Updated)

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Newsflash : Our hearts go out to the lives lost in Mumbai. The Army and the NSG have now officially taken over the Operations from the Police. Marcos were the first to arrive at the scene in the morning.

Rank Pay is dead, Long live the rank pay.

Well, as we all know by now, the downgradation of military ranks stems from the non-addition of rank pay into basic pay while laying down the new scales and grade pay. It seems that the Member Secretary of the 6th CPC was not convinced that Rank Pay formed a part of basic pay. The same officer (Member Secy 6th CPC) later also became a member of the Committee of Secretaries under the Cabinet Secy (from Caesar to Caesar’s wife?). Though you may have seen these arguments here and there on this blog, here is why rank pay cannot be excluded from basic pay :

1. Rank pay was carved out of the basic pay of military officers when a running pay band was implemented. So where is the question of rank pay being an ‘additional element’ different from the basic ?. The said fact is also admitted by the 6th CPC in Paragraph 2.3.10 (iv).

2. The 4th CPC had recommended an integrated running pay scale of Rs 2300-5100 for all ranks from Second Lieut till Brigadier to which rank pay was added as a differentiating factor. If we buy the argument of rank pay not being a part of basic pay, it would mean that a 2/Lt as well as a Brig had the same status vis-à-vis civil services since both of them were in the same scale of Rs 2300-5100.

3. Both SAIs 2/S/87 and 2/S/98 notified by the MoD clearly define rank pay as ‘a part of basic pay’. No amendment was carried out in these definitions at any point of time by the Govt. So now to say that rank pay is not a part of basic pay holds no ground.

4. The carving out of rank pay from basic pay and then the addition of the same into basic pay for all purposes was approved by the Cabinet and no authority in the govt can hold an opinion or view which is opposed to the recommendations of the 4th and 5th CPCs approved by the Cabinet.

5. While calculating new pay fixation, even the 6th CPC added rank pay into basic pay. Please see Table 2.3.1 on Page 89 of the 6th CPC.

6. The Hon’ble Kerala High Court reaffirmed the addition of rank pay into basic pay in Maj Dhanapalan Vs Union of India case.

7. The MoD as a respondent had submitted to the Hon’ble Central Administrative Tribunal that rank pay was to be added into basic pay for status purposes. More details of the said case are available here.

8. The insistence of CPOs that their rank of 2IC is equivalent to Lt Col and that rank pay is not to be added into basic pay of a Lt Col holds no ground since originally in most of the CPOs there was no rank of 2IC but there were two grades of Commandants known as Comdt (Selection Grade) [State Emblem with Two Stars] and Comdt (Ordinary Grade) [State Emblem with One Star], the point to be noted is that both these ranks were in NFSG pay scales which are now in Pay Band-4. Comdts (Ordinary Grade) used to be posted as 2ICs of CPO Battalions. The rank of 2IC however existed in some CPOs such as CISF but that rank was also in NFSG scale. The 5th CPC however merged Comdt (SG) and Comdt (OG) and granted them the NFSG scale of Rs 14300-18300, even the 2IC rank wherever it existed was granted the same NFSG scale of Rs 14300-18300 for existing incumbents. Having done that, the 5th CPC created a new junior rank of 2IC in the Junior Administrative Grade of Rs 12000-16500. Now this new JAG rank of 2IC is what is being compared by the CPOs with a Lt Col. But tell me, if a new junior rank is created for the CPOs for their cadre management, would the rank of Lt Col in the Army also stand automatically degraded ?. How can the argument regarding such action taken in one organization be used for degrading ranks in an another unrelated organization ?. Before CPO officers start questioning the above data, Paras 70.19 & 70.21 of the 5th CPC may be perused for a complete lowdown on the situation.

9. A document showing a supposedly new definition of rank pay is now being used to say that rank pay is not to be added into basic pay. Again a plain perusal of this document would show that in fact it re-affirms the stand of the services since it clearly states that rank pay is directly related to the basic pay and scale of pay. The reason for not merging rank pay into basic pay was quite different from what it is being made to look. Rank pay was maintained as a different part of basic pay to cater for acting ranks keeping in view the uniqueness of the services in this regard. For example, if a Capt was promoted as Acting Major, he/she was to be paid the basic pay of a Capt with rank pay of a Major. In case rank pay and basic pay were merged, there would have been a difficulty in maintenance of this concept and that was the reason why there was no merger.

10. The Committee of Secretaries after the 5th CPC had also opined that a Major’s pay with rank pay in 14th year of service should be equated with the NFSG on the civil side. In fact, since the 3rd CPC, it was Majors who enjoyed a close equivalence with NFSG. During the 3rd CPC regime, the pay of a Major (Selection Grade) was Rs 1550-1900 which was quite similar to the Civil Selection Grade of Rs 1650-1800 now in Pay Band-4.


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43 comments:

Anonymous said...

The fruits of motivated elements allowing the ATS and the media to yap on about "Hindu Terror" and "Terror in uniform". We are at war. Who will save us now? The same soldiers who we wanted to deny a bloody grade pay? The same generals who are lower than bloody DGPs?

Shame on this country. Shame on her, and shame on us. And particulary shame on the fifth columnists in the media. And shame on this government that wanted to make a poll issue out being soft on terror.

Words cannot express my rage and anger and frustration at the weakness of our national psyche.

For shame. We are a nation of filth, and we get what we deserve.

For Shame.

Anonymous said...

Maj Navdeep, great work but "Bhains ke aage been bjaane se kya faida?" These politicians, for votes, will take a blood bath of inncent indians. KURSI MATA KI JAI !!!!

Anonymous said...

The funniset part of this entire debate ie that the job evaluation and compensation policies regarding armed forces are made by people who probably never have even held a rifle or gun in their life . Long live democracy(hypocricy )

Anonymous said...

why to curse others when your own top brass is culprit who does not have the guts to say that we are for border only so mumbai should be handled by the intelligent ias and ips peoples who get every thing over the table and under the table

Anonymous said...

Army, MARCOS and NSG (Strike element, which is drawn from the army) are dealing with Mumbai situation.

So much for the "Garam Hawaa" of the police services, which are apparently ready to lord it over the armed forces in CI situations, 6th cpc onwards.

When will the govt realise? We respect the sacrifice of all. Armyman, policeman, civilian. Just give each their due, and dont put anyone down.

Anonymous said...

I may sound off... but carryout deep analysis and you will end up with incompetency of Top Brass staring at our face. The yardsticks for promotion are wonky... and now we now end up getting wacked by the same yardstick!!

Anonymous said...

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Nav ... 764518.cms

Print EMail Discuss Share Save Comment Text:
MUMBAI: Highly placed sources at the Western Naval Command, Mumbai have confirmed to the Economic Times that the injured Naval Marine Commando who was evacuated from the gunfight at the Taj Mahal Hotel is out of danger. According to these sources, the naval commando team has not yet suffered any fatalities.

The MARCOS as the Naval marine commandos are better known, were the first elite force to be called to the scene of the terror attack and two teams were assembled by midnight. Two 'prahaars' (a prahaar is a strike force of 8-9 marcos) entered the Taj Mahal hotel while another one and a half prahaara were sent to The Trident where they remained on standby and did not enter the hotel. The MARCOS were not challenged as they stormed the ground floor of the Taj but were met with heavy gunfire as they ascended onto the first and second floors.

Naval sources say they are unhappy with the chaotic situation at both hotels with civilian bystanders and television media crews severely impeding operations. According to these sources the state police was completely unprepared to provide even support functions in such a situation. For instance, people exiting the hotels were not properly screened thus making it likely that terrorists themselves may have abandoned their weapons and mingled with hostages who were using the various fire escapes.

Vice Admiral Jagjit Singh Bedi, C-in-C, Western Naval Command, refused to comment on the ongoing gun-battle except to say that "these terrorists are highly trained, heavily armed and have probably done a detailed recce of these locations in advance."

**********

Draw your own conclusions.

Anonymous said...

GOOD JOB BY FORCES.THEIRR PROFESSIONALISM STANDS OUT IN SITUATIONS LIKEMUMBAI.WEATHER PAY PARITY OR NOT AARMED FORCES LEAVE EVERYTHING ASIDE WHEN FACING SUCH SITUATIONS.
A WORD ON COMPARISONS IN PAYBANDS,MISTAKEN SENIORITIES. MOST OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS OF SECTION OFFICERS POLICE OFFICERS CPOS (ON ARMED FORCES RANKS)IS DUE TO IGNORANCE. THEIR WAS NEVER A CLEARLY PUBLICISED/ADVERTISED COMPARISION BY GOI.MOST SECTION OFFICERS/CLERICAL STAFF/POLICE STAFF ARE NEVER TOLD /EXPOSED TO RELATIVE SENIORITY. THEREBY THE CONFUSION.

Anonymous said...

dear navneet, besides points clarifying rank pay being integral part of basic pay in your artical at paras 1 to 7, rank pay was/is included while working out basic pension (50% of basic+rank pays).And also DA etc being paid at %age of both added together.It is sheer treachery not to accept the same.

Anonymous said...

Let me clear the doubts of learned officers of CPO


There is no question of parity of 2I/C with a Lt Col 'coz 2I/Cs are earstwhile senior most Asst Commandant posted to a CPMF batallion.The designation Asst Comdt were renamed as Deputy Comdt in early 1990s but the 2I/C of a CPMF batallion continued to were a Ashoka emblem on his shoulder like an Army Major.After the 5th Pay commission the 2I/C or the senior most Deputy Comdt of a CPMF batallion was given a star in addition to the Ashoka emblem which he was already wearing on his shoulders, but that does not bring them at par with the Lt Cols 'coz the additional star was an internal requirement of CPMF.A 2I/C was equivalent to a Major and continues to remain so.Tomorrow if a CPMF DIG commands a batallion (They are already commanding CRPF Group Centres)and the 2I/C is given one more star on his shoulder, that doesn't make him equivalent to a Army Colonel.............!So, face the truth!

Anonymous said...

kaam fauj kar rahi hai aur low IQ wale media wale interview le rahe hain cho police ka.Aur woh bhi aise bol raha hai jaise woh aur uske bande operation kar rahe hain jab ki pura desh dekh raha hai ki fauj marne ke liye andar gayi hai but yeh chor policewale bahar lete huye hain.

Anonymous said...

inhe bahar letne ke liye aur bina kam kiye interview dene ke karan sabse jyada pay chahiye.waise sahi hi hai,yeh agar kam karne ki koshish karenge to bigad hi denge.ye door hi theek hain.inko bas moti moti haddiyan dalte raho.yeh katne wale nahin bhaukane wali breed hai.koi shaque?

Anonymous said...

Dear Sir

Well, even what ever has been brought out may be true to the hilt, does any Power on earth, stop the present elected Government, or any other subsequent elected governments, to decide differently, and treat Rank Pay as not part of Basic Pay.

There is no point in harping on the past.

The decisions now taken by the present Government are as much legal as much as those Governments in the 4th or 5th CPC took

The point of discussion should be restricted to, as to how, do we convince the present elected government, to decide that the Rank Pay should be re introduced and treated as part of Basic Pay, if the same is advantageous to the Armed Forces

There is no point on harping on what happened in the past,and whether that was legal or not.

Let us all think, what we want NOW and forget the past for the time being.

Past is Past.

We should only act now.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

why dont the mumbai operations be controlled by people who decide our pay structure too
im sure they will not ask for the army then

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonimous @ 10PM
Then u are not worth even PB0. Put up your papers and go home.
Cheep mentality

Anonymous said...

It appears that fauji want cost for wearing OG.Those gone inside are NSG commandos,drawn from various cpmf/cpos and Army is forming the outer circle, any shaque or sawal

Anonymous said...

NSG????????70 percent of that is from the army u dumbwit@9:42 am!!!!!!!Have u shame u moron???????army on the outskirts and CPMFs inside!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh said...

@Anony at 9.42

Please confirm your facts before shooting off the keys on your keyboard.

NSG comprises of two groups - SAG and SRG.

The SAG (Spl Action Group) deals with situations such as Mumbai and is costituted of only ARMY pers on deputation. SAG = ARMY my dear.

The SRG (Spl Rangers Gp) on the other hand is constituted of pers from CPOs and handles VIP security. SRG = CPOs, read it dear.

Our hearts go out to the police lives lost in the incident and they derserve all the sympathy. It is not correct to run down any organisation because of the colour of uniform. But Pl don't just blow off the OG only because you hold some long-felt grudge against faujis.

Thank you but no thank you

Anonymous said...

@ALL...

I M SHOCKED PEOPLE DONT EVEN KNOW THAT "SPECIAL ACTION GROUP" THE MAIN FIGHTING WING OF NSG IS ALL ARMY..

I PITTY MOTHER INDIA..PEOPLE HERE R SO UNAWARE OF THINGS AROUND THEM AND
MORE SO OVER LOOK AT THIER THINKING..AND COMPLEX..
AFTER ALL THIS TOO THEY WANT TO DISOWN THE SOLDIER....

GOD SAVE THIS COUNTRY

Anonymous said...

anno@9.42,
r u in ur senses??????????u know waht the composition of NSG is????????????????????any then u add koi shaque ya sawaal???????tommorow u may say that the marcos are from coast guard at this rate!!!!!!!!!!!speak sense yaar for a change !!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I think we should not fight for supremacy. But at the same time, all those wise people (IAS) should understand that without defence services, they are cripple. So do not talk about disparity.

Anonymous said...

Now we should ask Shiv or Navdeep to educate our friends about the composition of the NSG?

Anonymous said...

Somebody tell them that in NSG the gentlemen who float around real heavyweights like Jaya & Maya are from the CPMF - dirty jobs are left for the Army to do.

Anonymous said...

PB4 will be announced on Monday !!

Anonymous said...

@PB4,
Don't know where you got that from but I feel that after the combined operation by the Army,Navy & Air Force at The Taj, Oberoi & the Nariman House it's time that this Government realises their mistake and issues immediate orders to give the Defence Forces what they rightfully deserve.That would be the most apt action ever taken by any Government.

Anonymous said...

A SALUTE TO THE BRAVEHEART
SANDEEP,YOU HAVE MADE ALL OF US PROUD

1/2 boy 1/2 man

The average age of the military man is 19 years.

He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father’s, but he has never collected unemployment either.
He’s a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip -hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.

He digs foxholes and latrines and can

apply first aid like a professional.

He can march until he is told to stop,

or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity.

He is self-sufficient.

He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.

He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.

If you’re thirsty, he’ll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He’ll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.

He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.

He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all.

He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime.

He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.

He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to ’square-away’ those
around him who haven’t bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.

In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy.

He is the Fighting Man that has kept this country free

He has asked nothing in return, except

our friendship and understanding..

Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.

And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.

As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot. . ..

A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.

Prayer wheel for our military… please don’t break it Please send this on after a short prayer.

Prayer Wheel

‘Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.’

When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground troops , sailors , and airmen , in all frontiers

There is nothing attached…

This can be very powerful…

Of all the gifts you could give a Soldier, Sailor, Coastguardsman, Marine, or Airman, prayer is the very best one.

Anonymous said...

Gentlemen let me simplify the debate on the CPO and the Army. yes the CPO Unit and its officers should be paid the same as the army officers. Why not are they not the sons of mother India?? However let them fulfill the the following crateria
They should he able to attack en enemy picquet at the height of 20000 ft and hold it against the enemy attack. They should quallify all routine physical efficiecy tests of the army soldier. They should be able to march manpack selfcontained for a week for 50 Km and still be able to fight. There are many more creterias but most importannt they should be prepared to retire into wilderness and ignominy at the age of 40. If they can do that then they should be equateded with the Army. Infact once they can do all that there will be immense synergy and all kind of troops can be utisized in interchangeable roles.

Anonymous said...

The NSG has been carved out of the Army and put under the police offices( the highest echlon) so that though the blood is shed by the Army men the credit is claimed by the police officers who do not have to ever command the troops in battle situations. They police officer( th Babus in uniforms) enter such organisations like NSG at levels where there is no fear of death and they do not have to actully lead the troops in dangerous situations. The NSG component which is earmarked for most dangerous and challanging jobs is obviously from the Army but this fact is not publicised so that the police can bask in the reflected glory or hog it totally. The components of the NSG whose job is fundy duties are taken from CPOs.

Anonymous said...

Major Sandeep unnikrishnan killed while storming Nariman House. One more armyman deputed to NSG killed in same raid.

Rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

Good job being done by the defence forces. Bravo !! You laying down your lives for your countrymen and the Babus. Be ready for the reward. After the dust settles down the soldiers salilors and the airmen will be rewarded by the grateful and a cheering country by further lowering their pecking order visa vi the all important Babus.

Anonymous said...

US daily blames squabbling Indian leaders' for terror attacks

New York (PTI): A leading US daily has blamed "squabbling" Indian political leaders' failure to put national security above partisan politics for a series of terrorist attacks that the country has witnessed, saying its approach to terrorism has consistently been "haphazard and weak-kneed."

"When faced with fundamentalist demands, India's democratically elected leaders have regularly preferred caving to confrontation on a point of principle. The country's institutions and culture have abetted a widespread sense of Muslim separateness from the national mainstream," the Wall Street Journal said in a stinging commentary.

"The country's anti-terrorism effort is reactive and episodic rather than proactive and sustained. Its public discourse on Islam oscillates between crude, anti-Muslim bigotry and mindless sympathy for largely unjustified Muslim grievance-mongering. Its failure to either charm or cow its Islamist-friendly neighbours -- Pakistan and Bangladesh -- reveals a limited grasp of statecraft," the Journal said.

The country's diplomats and soldiers have failed to stabilize the neighborhood, it said, adding that the ongoing attacks in Mumbai underscores the price both Indians and non-Indians caught unawares must now pay.

India's leaders "who invariably swan around with armed guards paid for by the taxpayer" - can't even agree on a legal framework to keep the country safe, it says, adding that on taking office in 2004, one of the first acts of the ruling Congress Party was to scrap a federal antiterrorism law that strengthened witness protection and enhanced police powers.

The Congress, it says, has stalled state-level legislation in Gujarat, which is ruled by the opposition BJP. And it was a Congress government that kowtowed to fundamentalist pressure and made India the first country to ban Mumbai-born Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses" in 1988.

Anonymous said...

Dear Sir

Well, even what ever has been brought out may be true to the hilt, does any Power on earth, stop the present elected Government, or any other subsequent elected governments, to decide differently, and treat Rank Pay as not part of Basic Pay.

There is no point in harping on the past.

The decisions now taken by the present Government are as much legal as much as those Governments in the 4th or 5th CPC took

The point of discussion should be restricted to, as to how, do we convince the present elected government, to decide that the Rank Pay should be re introduced and treated as part of Basic Pay, if the same is advantageous to the Armed Forces

There is no point on harping on what happened in the past,and whether that was legal or not.

Let us all think, what we want NOW and forget the past for the time being.

Past is Past.

We should only act now.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Yes Navdeep what do you say on this?
what was rank pay for army has now become grade pay for every employee across the board. And rank pay is not part of basic pay then grade pay should not be part of basic pay. SCPC has taken the clue from 4&5 CPC to introduce it in this fashion after having tried it out Armed Forces

Anonymous said...

TO MY ANONYMOUS GUESTS AT 10.58 AND 9.55,

Firstly,there is something called a precedence that has to be followed with sound logic before deciding about the pay of the armed forces or anybody for that matter.here the logic has already been laid out wherein the basic was to be mutiplied by a certain factor.

I would not like to go into the details as both of you are not aware of what u are talking about.As for my illinformed brother at 9.55,the past is what sets the precedent for the present and the future.The govt yes can decide on it,not the babus.We have democratically gone ahead and told the govt that we are not happy(we are also democratically voting out this UPA govt as many of us are doing it in flocks today).

As for my malicious guest at 10.58,if u are speaking something,speak intelligently.You have not seen the 6CPC REPORT HAVE U?

Who told u this that the govt has decided to remove rank pay and replace it with grade pay????WITH INTELLIGENCE LIKE URS U SHOULD BE IN THE PARAMILITARY FORCES OR MES!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

While all kinds of self confessed experts have been crowing about the impact of terror and the lives of those affected by it , no one is paying attention to the humble soldier who stands firm in the face of insurmountable odds. We go on singing paeans about how the intelligence network failed and they didn’t have any prior info of the attacks. It was eventually the Army, NSG (which again is manned and officered in large part by the Army) and the Navy that bailed out a city under siege. And now the politicians will come in and hog the limelight for the customary sound bite while playing petty politics for the vote bank they have to bolster for the next election.

While all this happens no one is paying attention to the quiet and unassuming man in Green (or white or blue for that matter………, we’re referring to Army, NSG and the Navy) who after having finished the job efficiently without fanfare has left the centre stage to be occupied by the politicians and bureaucrats who having watched this drama from the safe and secure environs of his drawing room have come for their share of the publicity pie, talking endlessly and throwing weighty words (of which they know nothing about) like “collateral damage” “flush out ops” “search and destroy operations” and “hot pursuit”.

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Commando Gajraj Singh who valiantly laid down their lives life fighting the terrorists weren’t Marathi Manoos. They were Indian soldiers and that alone was more than enough to be their identity. In fact I’m certain that the majority of the troops that fought in the claustrophobic smoke filled corridors, braving a hail of bullets and grenade shrapnel were not from Mumbai or for that matter from Maharashtra. What does a certain Raj Thackeray have to say about this? Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Hindus, North Indians, South Indians, Gurkhas, Biharis, Assamese, Rajasthanis, Nagas………........... they all fought side by side braving bullets and shrapnel to free the city that Mr Thackeray claims to be the sole domain for the Marathi Manoos.

And Mr Bachhan feels threatened enough to sleep with a revolver tucked under his pillow? Who do you fear Mr Bachhan? Have you inserted the revolver under your pillow (and consequently the line in your blog) so that your blog could get more hits? It is the men in uniform who are braving bullets out there for you . A young major laid down his life today leading from the fron. What, pray, Mr Bachchan , have you done about the soldiers? Have you even spared athought as to in what inhospitable conditions do they live, eat sleep and fight in . And all of this for what ? Peanuts as salary ? Would you brave a hail of bullets for seven thousand bucks ? I guess not !

In a few days the news channels will forget about the incident altogether. All the jingoism will have died down and the humble soldier will go back to the barracks (or tents) doing what he does best – being at the receiving end of an ungrateful nation who in the form of its politicians and bureaucrats goes on to the question why should the humble jawan get the proposed Military Service Pay of Rs 3000/- (and consequently and promptly degrade it to Rs 2000/-). He will not complain mind you, because he has discipline enough not to do that. Though he will tell his officers, over a shared mug of hot tea in a cold, windswept bunker on the icy heights of Siachen that the pittance they are being paid (and being grudged by the bureaucrats) is not enough to put his child in a good school or build him a humble two room house in his native village. The officer understanding fully well his plight (he too is in the same boat) will inform his superiors and up the channel the report would go. And when an Army or a Navy Chief, out of loyalty for his soldiers will put up the matter in front of the bureaucrats and the Defence minister, he will be labelled as being undisciplined, by chief editors like Shekhar Gupta, who on cues from “highly placed sources in the Defence Ministry” (i.e. bureaucrats who don’t want the forces to get their due) will have written an acerbic edit in the Indian Express and reminded the forces of their place in the pecking order. For whom is the jawan braving these bullets? Who is he laying down his life for …………for the ungrateful citizen who doesn’t feel enraged enough at the injustice being meted out to the jawan. Why do we tend to forget that the forces are our last line of defence, as they have proved today and time and again in the past? What we say played out in the space of 60 hours starting from the night of 26 November 2008 is something that is played out everyday in the jungles of Kashmir and the North East. The humble jawan risks his life there too, but nobody gives a damn. Web sleep in peace because the soldier, the sailor and the airman is awake and doing his job, in extremely trying circumstances. Why do we tend to forget that? Just because the forces don’t form a formidable vote bank means that we should forget them? About time we woke up and gave the soldier his due. Remember , it was once famously said and it still rings true, that a country that cannot respect and provide for his soldier does not have the moral right to expect the soldier to give up his life for the nation. Chilling but true…………………

kgr said...

Dear Sir,
By now the Chief of Armed Forces should have progrssed their negotiation with GoM and not remained at M/s Shushma Nath level, who evidently understands all the intricacies on pay fixation but stubbornly holding on the fort (for whatever reason).
If, this is the only level upto which the audience is permitted, I repeat permitted to the Chiefs of Armed Forces, to negotiate/represent their case, then, I am afraid, they must bloody well accept whatever is offered to them greatfully/thankfully and peel off.
Please read the warning carefully, DO NOT BEG HERE.
In any case, GoI will announce some more medals on this Republic Day for Mumbai operations. That should satisfy fauji's ego.
One more thing, donot fall prey and get misguided by the praises showered by the media,during the ongoing Mumbai operation. Same thing had happened during Kargil war also. I need not remind anyone that a particular reporter had all the praises for Armed Forces during that war ( ye dil mange more ) probably to further own carrer. Once more, these people have sieged the opportunity to reap the rich dividend and further progress thier own carrer and channel. Ironically, the same person and the channel didnot have even two minutes of air time in favour of Armed Forces in the ongoing controversy on pay commission on their elit channel.
BEWARE, FAUJIS ARE BEING FOOLED ONCE AGAIN, AND MIND YOU THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME.

Anonymous said...

both the anony above, very well said
i wish this country reads it.very ungreatful country

Anonymous said...

One thousand year ago anyone in Kabul who ran out of cash or pretty women had to just muster 400 horsemen and march down the plains of Punjab looting and plundering and raping at will since those days there was no one to defend India and the Indian people. The invader then carried on to Delhi and had a good time plundering and raping and butchering the citizens at will at his own time. After finishing his job he would return victoriousy with Delhi reduced to dust with trains of young women and handsome slaves and all the booty. This continued for last one thousand years with frequency of about ten to twenty years. So sure was the certainity of this loot plunder and humiliation of India that people of punjab developed a trait of eating drinking and enjoying what ever they had since it in anycase is going to be taken away " KHADA PEETA LAI DA BAKI NADU SHAHE DA" meaning yours is only what you eat drink and put on ; the rest belongs to Nadir Shah. These threats have stopped only after providential appearance of the Indian Army which has ensure that out Western border is secure from the barbarians. Nothing has changed otherwise ; the barbarian with their old designs are still waiting at Kabul and Peshawar ; the only thing they rue is this stubborn Indian Army which is holding this line in the West of the nation. Today going by the discourse in the media and the opinions being expressed by some friends on the net it seems a deliberate effort is on to demoralise the Indian Army so that the society can get back to enjoying the forced genetic mixing of the Indian blood from the West.They are trying to do what Taliban and the ISI in last so many decades have failed to do. The mindless triade against forces by people like that imbecile Shekhar Gupta appears to be a natural genetic urge of a civilisaion used to periodic plunder and rape and forced genetic enrichment. The only force which is prevention this are the defence forces and hence the campaign against them. Pardon me I may be being disrespectful to a civilization which has a natural urge to assimilate other cultures but I could thind of no other reason for the deliberate humiliation of the soldiers by the society that he is protecting with his life. Please put me wise if there is some other reason. Warm regards to All

Anonymous said...

Solution to all problems: Scrap SRG protection to all politicians including the PM(as it is he is the most expendable- many waitng in the congrss to take his place). Scrap police protection to govt officers and politicians and MPs / MLAs in the States.
The security situation for the aam aadmi is bound to, then, improve.
Think about it. It is definitely a beginning.

Anonymous said...

anon @ 12.14,
not only big B,each and every big wig in this country should be asked as to what has he done for the defence forces due to whose presence he is minting crores.Let's be very clear ,a guy can earn the whole day but if someone snatchs away his earnings at the end of the day then what is the use?
India can claim to be a Huge economic power but what if the country is not protected well and is taken over by the enemy?Think all u smarta-- IAS,IPS and Dhotis and pay the armed forces their dues.Or are we waiting for our armed forces to think like their counterparts across the border and do away with the dhotis and babus..

IndianACE said...

Chiefs meeting at Sushma Nath's level. Is it not what we always suspected when Cols sat with desk officers for the affairs of the army.

The Chiefs must depute a Lt Gen (Eqvt) incharge of the Anomalies cell. And this gent needs to ask (in person)relevent questions on a daily basis and also provide feed back to the lower formations.

Even a 'No-comment' or a 'Shut-up' to be reported down.

It is developing into a 'fog of war' situation.

Anonymous said...

Though I ahve sympathisies with the three honchos of the AST who died in action against TWO terrorists but is it not surprising that THREE so called elite officers along with a handful of polices personnel get killed by TWO terrorists and they also lose their vehicle. Does this not reflect on false self praise which they may have got while daeling with local goondas who were afraid to shoot at them because they were men in uniform??

These persons have the audacity to compare them selves with THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Anonymous said...

Seems the nation requires Mumbai type incidents to remind them of the existence of the Armed forces; Because draft is not compulsory in the nation.