Sharing an
article by Raj Datta on how a wrong decision by Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in
2004 is adversely affecting Navy Veterans who retired as Commanders with more
than 26 years service.
Because of this
wrong decision by Naval Headquarters – Navy Veterans are getting less pension
than their counterparts in Army and Air Force who were promoted to Colonel and
Group Captain ranks after 26 years service – whereas Navy Officers with 26
years service were not promoted to Captain (IN) rank.
The disparity
in pension will further increase once OROP is implemented.
On the one hand
we talk of jointmanship – but on the other hand – each service takes its own
arbitrary HR decisions – thus creating disparity between personnel of the
defence services.
Will the
Government, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Navy Chief (CNS) correct this
unfair disparity and give justice to the aggrieved Navy Veterans…?
___________
700 NAVAL
COMMANDERS WRONGED
Click link to
read the article in Raj Datta’s blog.
I am also
posting the article below (with permission of the author) for convenience of
readers.
https://rajdutta26.blogspot.com/2019/05/1000-naval-commanders-wronged-navy-is.html
___________
Tuesday, 7 May
2019
Blog by Cdr Raj
Datta
Source Blog
Post Link:
https://rajdutta26.blogspot.com/2019/05/1000-naval-commanders-wronged-navy-is.html
___________
700 NAVAL
COMMANDERS WRONGED
___________
Indian Navy is the finest Service
of our prestigious Armed Forces. Prior to the commissioning of the NDA in
Khadakwasla in 1954, an interim training
academy known as JSW(Joint Services Wing)
was set up in Dehradoon on 01 Jan 1949. After 2 yrs of training, the top
25 cadets were sent to Dartmouth UK for further 2 yrs of pre-commission
training into ‘Indian Navy’. (Adm L Ramdas, VAdm JN Sukul and Cmde SK Bhalla
were from this batch -01 JSW).The remaining went to Army and Airforce as per
merit. Navy has been a Royale service that can be vouched for by all Naval men.
Yet, about 700 Naval Commanders were wronged by their own senior
brother officers in the corridors of power in the Naval Headquarters from
2005-2015.
In a move to reduce the age profile of
commanding officers and to ease rank stagnation at the level of Majors and Lt
Colonels, the government in 2004 announced acceptance of major recommendations
of Ajai Vikram Singh Committee, that was announced by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee. The Govt accepted all the recommendations
put forward to it by AVSC to “ensure
career prospects of army officials and reduce the age at combating level of
Commanding Officers.” The AVSC recommendations pertained to all three, Army,
Navy and Air Force. As per the
recommendations, while the Army and the Air Force promoted their
LtCol(TS)/WgCdr(TS) to Col(TS)/Gp
Capt(TS) on having accomplished 26 yrs
commissioned service. But NHQ
alone, while implementing the
AVSC Part I recommendations had introduced an additional clause namely,
protecting the’ inter se seniority’ as per Navy List, despite clearing
Commander (TS) to Substantive Commanders on 16 Dec 2004. The promotion of all
Commander(TS) were put on hold for 11 yrs,
till such time all Select Commanders were promoted to Captain(TS), protecting their inter se seniority.
Commander Kshirsagar contested the
decision in Supreme Court, graduating from lower courts, but the Naval
respondent got the court’s decision in
its favour by the googly of ‘inter se
seniority’. The irony is that there exists ample proof of cases of flouting the
‘inter se seniority’ norms of promotion within the Navy itself. However to
garner Judge’s sympathy and a favourable verdict the Naval Respondent had
committed in the Honourable Supreme Court that
only 237 officers would be affected and rest all shall be promoted, but
in effect only 5 officers were promoted in Aug 2016 with loss of seniority,
whereas about 1000 Commanders were left in the lurch and made to superannuate
as Cdr(TS) from 2005 till Aug 2016.
While within the Navy, the protocol
issue was not much of an issue, but in the inter-services organisations, the
protocol went topsy-turvy. I had been posted to NCC in the sunset years of my
Naval Career. The Army and Airforce Officers who had been my subordinates,
became my seniors owing to their promotion to Col/GpCapt Time Scale. I discussed the issue with CNS
during his visit to Kolkata in 2009. The CNS mentioned that he shall look into
the issue on return. However the COP,
VAdm B had made up his mind against the pleas of Commanders(TS) despite making
them substantive Cdrs on 16 Dec 2004. These Commanders were wronged on two
counts: ONE -Imposition of negative seniority from the time they were granted
TS promotion. TWO- Not granting them
Captain TS, despite they fulfilling the laid down criteria.
PRESENT
STATUS: After all select Commanders were promoted to Capt(TS) after 26
yrs commissioned service, now all officers are being promoted to Commander at 13 yrs service and those that miss
selection grade to Captain are promoted
to Capt(TS) after 26 yrs of commissioned service.
EFFECTIVE IMPLICATION: All Officers who
continue to superannuate after full service (33 yrs) shall retire as Capt(TS) and no one shall hitherto retire as Commander
beyond 26 yrs commissioned service.
REPERCUSSION: The OROP stipulates
equalisation of pension of the Same rank with the Same length of service. But
since there shall be NO Commander retiring beyond 26 yrs commissioned service,
what formula shall be worked out for about 1000 Commanders who superannuated
with 30+ yrs service? The effect of financial loss would work out to Rs 20,000/
in the first equalisation in 2019 and the loss shall be colossal in next
equalisation. This anguish could have been foreseen by NHQ and these
affected Commanders been granted
Captain(TS) a day prior to their superannuation/ retirement. But alas !!
IS THAT
NOT GROSS INJUSTICE
METED OUT TO
THESE COMMANDERS OF
THE INDIAN NAVY
?? HOW WOULD
IT BE RESOLVED BY THE HEADQUARTERS
OF NAVY SO
THAT THEY ARE
NOT PENALISED THEIR
OROP BENEFITS ??
WILL THESE
COMMANDERS WHO HAVE BEEN WRONGED,
EVER SECURE JUSTICE FOR
THEMSELVES ?
WAY OUT: To
scale the impasse the present ‘Chief of the Naval Staff’ is requested to grant Capt(TS)
Rank to the affected Commanders to ensure that they are not bereft of
their rightful OROP benefits and Justice
ultimately acquiesces.
___________
Link to Source
Blog Post:
https://rajdutta26.blogspot.com/2019/05/1000-naval-commanders-wronged-navy-is.html
___________
About the
Author
Commander
Rajinder Dutta (Retd) has been a Naval Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor
with about 3000 hrs of flying on various fixed wing Aircraft of Indian Navy,
viz HT-2, HPT-32, Kirans, Islander, Super Connie, Fokker F-27 and IL-38.
He is a Master
of Ceremonies and a blogger.
His Blog:
http://rajdutta26.blogspot.com/
_________
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