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The Rediff Special/ Archana Masih

'This nation needs to tell its soldiers that it cares'

Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja: Died of bullet injuries after his aircraft was shot near the LoC.

Major Mariappan Sarvanan: Died in an assault in Batalik.

Rifleman Linkon Pradhan: Died of bullet injuries in an assault at Tiger Hill.

Sepoy Dhondiba Desai: Died in a mine blast at Kargil...

Their loss stares us in the face. After the 1971 war, news of the courage of fallen soldiers in Operation Vijay has finally shaken Indians out of their stupor. People are contributing money towards the rehabilitation and welfare of soldiers, popular radio programmes are being dedicated to them, the supplies convoy to Kargil are stuffed with food by locals on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway and billboards saluting the warriors of Kargil erected in certain cities.

A war in Kargil and Indians suddenly are taking extreme pride in their armed forces.

"Operation Vijay brought war to our doorsteps," says Dr Ranjana Malik, president of the Army Wives Welfare Association and wife of the army chief, General Ved Prakash Malik. "But it is totally incorrect to say there has been no war till the war in Kargil. The Indian army has been actively involved in fighting insurgency and in operations like the IPKF. Our hospitals are overflowing with critically injured soldiers."

The army has had a steady number of casualties during 'peace time'. Brave soldiers, whose sacrifice often remains unknown to the people they die for. The absence of an aggressive media -- which otherwise reports daring casualties during war time -- does not arouse the mass sympathy the conflict in Kargil has brought.

The Indian army has lost 4,441 soldiers in its 'peace time' operations -- out of which 258 are officers -- and 9,189 have been wounded. The counter-insurgency movement in Jammu and Kashmir has resulted in 1,782 dead -- 121 officers -- and 4,642 wounded. Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka: 1,157 dead, 3009 wounded. The Siachen offensive: 615 dead, 474 wounded. The counter-insurgency movement in the North-East: 888 dead, 1064 wounded.

"These casualties indicate that our jawans, JCOs and officers have been actively fighting on various fronts. This is nothing short of a war," continues Dr Malik. AWWA, actively involved in assisting the families of dead and wounded soldiers, provides immediate assistance to the family in the event of a casualty. A soldier who has died gets Rs 5,000. The organisation also provides a funeral allowance. A wounded soldier receives Rs 1,500 as immediate financial assistance.

"Our organisation is the human face of the army. We provide the emotional support which is so essential for a broken family. While the financial emoluments are taken care by the Adjutant General's office," adds Dr Malik who has taken the responsibility of writing personal letters to the bereaved families of the Kargil war.

The compensation received by soldiers is not uniform. If a soldier dies in battle, or in a 'war-like' situation like the present situation in Kargil, his family receives his last drawn pay as pension for life. The battle casualty also receives an ex gratia payment by the central government which was revised by the Fifth Pay Commission. A graded emolument, it varies from a maximum of Rs 750,000 to Rs 350,000. An officer receives Rs 750,000. A Junior Commissioned Officer: Rs 500,000. A jawan: Rs 350,000.

If the soldier's wife dies before the children become adults, the same pension is received by the children till they become adults.

The state governments, on the other hand, have no uniform policy about looking after war casualties. Some states directly affected by insurgency like J&K and Assam provide an ex gratia payment of Rs 200,000. "No other states give anything. The policy should be uniform because the loss of life is common to every state. This needs central legislation," says former Adjutant General Lt General K M Seth, PVSM, AVSM.

Having served as brigade commander of the anti-insurgency movement in the Ukhrul district of Manipur -- home to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland -- and commander of troops in the North-East, Lt Gen Seth remained in the thick of the counter-insurgency movement between 1984 and 1986.

The conflict in Kargil has seen some concern emanating from the state governments. The Bihar government has announced ex gratia payments of Rs 1 million and the Gujarat government Rs 500,000. But some in the armed forces regard this as ad hoc state generosity. "We have seen such a response before -- in the 1965 and 1971 war, but it has to be sustained," says Lt Gen Seth, "Such disparity exists because the welfare of soldiers is a State subject. It needs to be included in the Concurrent List of the Centre."

The Indian army also has an Army Group Insurance scheme to which every soldier contributes a monthly amount. In the event of death, an officer's family receives Rs 800,000 and a JCO/Jawan's family receives Rs 350,000. A Social Security Deposit Scheme also allows the widow to invest and gives 1.25 per cent more than a bank interest.

If a soldier dies in uniform, but not during war or in a 'war-like' situation -- his death is termed as physical casualty. His family then receives as pension 30 per cent of his salary.

An area which needs immediate attention and get dismal compensation are the disabled and paraplegic soldiers. Apart from their pension, they receive an additional Rs 1,500 as disability pension. They are not entitled to an ex gratia, and are faced with the daunting task of coping with their disability and financially challenged future. Former army personnel believe that institutions that can help -- like corporate houses -- have been reluctant in coming forward. "The army attempts to keep them (jawans) till they retire at 35. But being out on your own at such a young age and with a disability can be very cruel," says Lt Gen Seth.

Meanwhile, the Centre has approved a package of measures in view of the Kargil conflict. For the first time, an ex gratia payment is being provided for soldiers suffering battle injuries. The compensation will vary according to the severity of injury. Rs 500,000 for soldiers who are invalidated out of service due to 100 per cent injury and a pro rata basis for those with battle injury, but retained in service.

It also covers measures to cater to the housing needs of the families of deceased and disabled soldiers. A provision of Rs 500,000 per family for acquiring suitable dwelling units, in the form of land or house. The state government will be requested to allot land/dwelling units on immediate and out-of-turn basis from various housing schemes executed by their agencies.

Besides, the celing of Rs 10,00, 000 that has been set on the total amount of compensation that a war widow recieves from all government sources has been waived.

"Wounded, disabled soldiers, sometimes with perforated injuries in the eye -- come for medical aid. We have nothing lacking as far as medicine is concerned. But we need to provide them with the best artificial limb and motorised help. More importantly, they need training for another job," says Dr Malik. Having served as a doctor in the armed forces herself, she feels the government has started responding quickly to the needs of soldiers now. That over the years, the procedure of disbursing compensation has been streamlined and ex gratia payments are often made within a month.

Further, the new package provides that the entire expenditure towards purchase of medical equipment recommended by medical authorities, such as wheel chairs, artificial limbs, motorised tricycles and scooters will be borne by the National Defence Fund. The Fund will also bear the entire cost if any soldier requires treatment at a private institution, even abroad. Four artificial limb centres are to be established at Chandimandir, Lucknow, Guwahati and Bangalore.

AWWA which helps in giving vocational training, also sees to the education of soldier's children. Children of soldiers who die in battle are entitled to free education till Class XII, most of whom go to central schools because public schools have shown little concern for them. Says Dr Malik: "Instead of land that certain state governments provide as compensation, it would be more useful if a small built-up dwelling unit could be given to the families of soldiers."

The Centre's new measures also provide for the education of children of war heroes. Rs 200,000 per family will be deposited in a long term fixed deposit. The montly interest of Rs 1,000 can be utilised for education expenditure, and the deposited amount utilised for meeting expenses towards the child's marriage etc.

It also includes measures to expand hostel facilities for children of war widows. Aged parents of deceased soldiers will be given Rs 1,000 per month on an individual case basis. The Centre has decided to request state governments to provide ex gratia payments of at least Rs 500, 000. It has also decided that all conributions made to the National Defence Fund after June 1 will be used exculsively for the welfare of soldiers' families who laid down their lives in the Kargil operations.

Though AWWA maintains that while the general public has been unaware of the casualties borne by the army all these years, it is heartened by the public response to the conflict in Kargil. Meanwhile, the organisation has stepped up its activities: reassuring those in the separated family complex, receiving dead bodies at the airports, establishing contact through letters with all regimental centres etc. It has been sending food packets containing non-perishable goodies to the front every week -- Laddoos, batisa, mathri, moong ki daal, accompanied with a handmade card.

"This nation needs to tell its soldiers that it cares. It has to tell war widows that they are not alone," adds Dr Malik. For this to be a reality, the public sympathy about Kargil cannot be outlived.

The Kargil Crisis

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