Dec.17, 2009

World War II veterans vent their grievances against govt
SP Sharma
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 16
While serving and retired soldiers assembled in the cantonment here this morning to celebrate "Vijay Diwas" in the memory of the valour displayed by troops during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, the octogenarians of the World War II cried that they were being treated as step-children and denied facilities that the government extended to those who retired during the post-independence era.

Mohinder Singh of Deon village, walking with support of his wife and grandson, grumbled that he and other participants of the World War II were being given old age pension of Rs 1,000 per month by the Punjab government. The amount was received quarterly through the District Sainik Board. The Army was not paying any pension to him. He had fought the World War for three years from 1942 to 1945 in Iraq, Iran and Baghdad.

Another veteran Kartar Singh, who actively participated in the World War in Germany, Greece and Italy, said he had not received the paltry old-age pension for the past four months. He visited the bank several times but the amount was not credited to his account.

Kartar Singh retired from the Army in 1947 and is facing financial crisis.

Kohar Singh cherished memories of the partition period when he was assigned the task of ferrying groups of Muslim refugees from this side to Hussainiwala and Lahore and bringing Hindu refugees from Kasur, now in Pakistan, to Ferozepur.

He recalled that throughout the upheaval, he was shuttling between Kasur and Lahore with a military contingent.

Kohar Singh said carrying on with the old-age pension was tough.

Sepoy Bhajan Singh took part in the war in Aden and Egypt. He donned the medals that he had won.

District sainik welfare officer Colonel Amar Singh (retd) said the veterans of the World War were not entitled to pension, as they had not completed the full tenure in service. As such they were now being paid a monthly old-age pension of Rs 1,000.

A highly-decorated Major-General JS Herr (Retd) said the government should seriously consider the fact why young boys were shying away from joining the Army, as a result of which about 11,000 posts of officers were lying vacant.

It is a serious situation considering that had the Kargil war extended, only the "young hot" blood could have fought the battle. It was also a fact that a large number of young officers sacrificed their lives during the Kargil conflict.

Herr said it was appreciable that even 60 years after independence the government sanctioned hardship allowance for the military service. The government should be liberal in granting incentives to the Army that was "protector of freedom" and not only think of freedom fighters.

Meanwhile, Major-General RS Gujral, Chief of Staff of the Chetak Corps, and other senior serving and retired army officers laid wreaths at the Yoddha Yaadgar in the cantonment.

Major-General Gujral addressed the war veterans and presented gifts to them. He said with their dedication and disciplined way of life, ex-servicemen could contribute to the security environment by being vigilant in their respective areas.