Click to play videoNew Delhi: “It is so bad, it is so sad, it is bl***y terrible, it is bl***y criminal!” fumed one of the military veterans, gathered to protest the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission in the lawns of Delhi’s India Gate.
This sentiment has been commonly observed in military veterans and for them, it is a different battlefield they are negotiating, as they wage a proxy war for the disaffected military.
Their style is political and it is enough to worry the Establishment, which has denounced it as undignified.
" I think it is unbecoming of dignified ex-servicemen to do these kind of things,” said Minister of State for Defence, M M Pallam Raju. “They should not do this."
The minister’s censure sparked off a fast and furious retort from the faujis as the veterans held a mirror to politicians.
“When they are asking this question, they should just look at themselves!” said Major General Satbir Singh. “They throw chappals at each other, they fight with each other, throw stones at each other; they abuse each other! The way they behave - we are, at least, sitting with honour, dignity and respect!”
The refrain at the gathering was ‘Show me the money!’ and the veterans were blunt in their 'do-it-or-else' threat to the Government.
“We also have vote power - 40 lakhs - add four for family members!” snapped Colonel P I S Phulka.
This is the first time that India's military community has taken to the streets, adopting a political methodology of protest.
This could, perhaps, be considered the beginning of the politicization of the military community.
The general feeling now is that the defence forces must emerge as a pressure group to be able to force the political leadership to give them their due.
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