UPA sop to Army leaves out officer cadre

New Delhi: UPA didn't give the Armed Forces all they had asked for. India's 2 million retired soldiers got a One-rank, One pension deal in the Budget. The loud, public agitation by yesteryear's soldiers did force a concession - a Rs 2,100 crore pension hike for those who retired before 1997.

They gain an average of Rs 1,500 a month, but the sting in the tale has been the exclusion of officers from the benefits.

The reason seems to be the fact that the Armed Forces had urged their lot to vote for the BJP in the General Elections.

The exclusion of officers from pension sops for the military is being seen as a political response to a political-style agitation for one rank, one pension, which deeply embarrassed the ruling UPA.

However, by appeasing the majority rankers, the Government has tried to take the political sting out of the agitation who comprise over 95 per cent of the military.

Top retired officers, who have led a thinly-disguised campaign to establish the military as a political pressure group, are livid.

Major General Satbir Singh of the Ex-Servicemen's Movement, says, "Fissures are being created by granting sops to only one section. We do not function like this. We function as a wholistic team."

Retired rankers are already applauding the UPA's move and seem willing to overlook the slight to their officers.

Ex-Serviceman, Havaldar Kulraj Lamba says, "A lot of us are in a very critical condition. Someone is working as a security guard, someone is doing some other menial job. For them, Rs 1,500 per month means a lot."

Adds another ex-serviceman, Havaldar DP Nawani, "This is the Government's own decision. They must have had a good reason for the denial to officers."

The Government's message to the men of arms is clear by this move - don't step on the political stage.

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