SOURCE:
http://manamanchhina.blogspot.in/
BE CAREFUL OF THE BABU CHAMCHAS OF
GOEBBEL'S FRATERNITY
To put the records straight VETERANS have decided that they will attend all those functions which are cent percent ARMED FORCES sponsored BUT will not attend those functions which are
GOVERNMENTAL
or
POLITICAL SPONSORED
CURTSEY
Reveille A blog on military affairs
By
http://manamanchhina.blogspot.in/
BE CAREFUL OF THE BABU CHAMCHAS OF
GOEBBEL'S FRATERNITY
To put the records straight VETERANS have decided that they will attend all those functions which are cent percent ARMED FORCES sponsored BUT will not attend those functions which are
GOVERNMENTAL
or
POLITICAL SPONSORED
CURTSEY
Reveille A blog on military affairs
By
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI !
1965 SAMAR SEVA STAR |
A lot of angst has been directed at the decision of
veterans organisations to boycott the celebrations
of the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war in protest against the delay in implementation of One Rank
One Pension (OROP) by the union government.
veterans organisations to boycott the celebrations
of the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war in protest against the delay in implementation of One Rank
One Pension (OROP) by the union government.
The barbs have come from expected as well as
unexpected quarters. From journalists
unexpected quarters. From journalists
adversely commenting upon the move to fellow
veterans who once wore the uniform
veterans who once wore the uniform
and feel that it is improper to boycott.
Comments such as ‘cutting ones nose to spite the
face’, ‘nation first’ etc have been
face’, ‘nation first’ etc have been
directed towards a community which has dedicated its youth, if not its entire life,
towards the service of the nation and is now forced to adopt such extreme measures in support
of their legitimate demand when all modes of
redressing a wrong have failed.
of their legitimate demand when all modes of
redressing a wrong have failed.
A soldier fights for honour. No one denies that. He
fights for a flag, a few pieces of
fights for a flag, a few pieces of
ribbon and pride for his comrades. And he willingly gives up his life for his nation if
the situation so demands.
But those who question the motives of veterans by suggesting that they are putting
their narrow interests first and foremost and the
nation last must first answer some
nation last must first answer some
questions.
Where has that pride in a soldier by the average
citizenry gone? What has
citizenry gone? What has
been done to restore the respect of a soldier across the spectrum of rank? Why has the
rank of structure been degraded over the years with respect to the civil services and the police
forces?
forces?
And now, after denying him an equal pension for
decades, and politicians making false promises on election eve on implementation of
OROP, if the soldier feels cheated and betrayed,
is it wrong? To term it as if he wants a few Rupees more at the cost of the
decades, and politicians making false promises on election eve on implementation of
OROP, if the soldier feels cheated and betrayed,
is it wrong? To term it as if he wants a few Rupees more at the cost of the
nation is downright insulting.
Have you left any option with him other than sitting on hunger strikes or returning his medals
or boycotting government functions?
or boycotting government functions?
No one needs to preach to a soldier who has fought in any war or has worn the uniform of his Army. He has done his bit for the nation, and a tad bit more than any
commentator like me will ever do. Those who have
taken decisions of life and death in the thick of operations need not be given moral
lectures on mundane decisions like
taken decisions of life and death in the thick of operations need not be given moral
lectures on mundane decisions like
deciding the course of their agitation for their right.
Patriotism sells and uber patriotism sells faster in
these days of hyper nationalism. And then there are those uber nationalists who have
once donned the uniform and now have distinct political leanings which prompt them to
discover a political conspiracy behind the
veterans move. Curiously there preachers were
missing when the UPA was in
these days of hyper nationalism. And then there are those uber nationalists who have
once donned the uniform and now have distinct political leanings which prompt them to
discover a political conspiracy behind the
veterans move. Curiously there preachers were
missing when the UPA was in
power and the medals were being returned.
The soldier wants his honour restored. The OROP
agitation is a manifestation of
agitation is a manifestation of
degradation of honour and dignity over the years.
Give him back his status as first among equals
which existed 50 years back.
which existed 50 years back.
Let that stripe on a sleeve and those pips on the
shoulder mean what they did 50 years back.
shoulder mean what they did 50 years back.
Then come and talk about the 50 years of 1965 war.
And till then refer to what a soldier wrote in the First World War about soldiering
under fire.
He knew best about what it means by ‘nation first’.
"If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs
Obscene as cancer, bitter as cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My Friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro Patria Mori"
-Wilfred Owen
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