We have heard many stories how disabled/mentally challenged are ill treated and harassed in India,especially by bureaucrats and medical care personnel. Of course, our middle class who are expected to be the leaders of Society just do not care. Many ESM had told heart-rending stories about their experiences at the hands of these stone hearted and empty headed men in authority. Will you believe that we have many from this crowd of heartless morons in our Head quarters (in this case Army Hq) and military hospitals also? No wonder, our highest court passed some severe strictures recently against the Government while disposing the case of a disabled officer.
Here is the story of a disabled son of a great war hero when India fought its first war at the dawn of our Independence against Pakistan in Kashmir. When I joined IAF, I learnt about the great sacrifice of Col Rai in saving Srinager Air field from the invaders during our lessons on Military History. We were told that India would have lost Kashmir at that time but for the valiant rescue of the Air Field by Col Rai that enabled Indian Army to rush the troops (including Guns and Tanks) to fight the invaders. Just read the following story and understand how how the very same Army through its high serving officers today had treated the son of Col Rai who was, in addition a mentally challenged individual.
S.Murugan.
Pension for Arunjit
by Harwant Singh
ARUNJIT was barely four years old when he suffered a head injury, which put an end to his mental growth. While he grew into his fifties, his mental faculties remained that of a child of four years. Although there was nothing childlike or childish in his behaviour and to a casual observer he appeared almost normal, he needed constant nursing and attention.
His mother was widowed at an early age and drew a pension from the defence department. When she died some years ago, Arunjit being handicapped, was entitled to a pension based on some rule the British had wisely framed to help such cases. The pension department of the defence required a certificate from civil surgeon stating his medical condition and his inability to make a living.
Now civil surgeons don’t give certificates unless some “authority” asks them to examine the case. With the help of some local contacts and an understanding staff at the Sector 16 hospital, a full medical board was constituted which confirmed Arunjit’s medical condition and opined that he was totally incapable of making a living.
However, the pension authorities were not satisfied and now wanted to know his IQ as determined by a psychologist. The Sector 16 hospital had no means to test the IQ, but agreed that the results of tests carried out in the military hospital would be acceptable towards issue of an appropriate certificate. A long letter explaining the special nature of the case and Arunjit’s entitlement for treatment in a military hospital was sent to the commandant. While the psychologist at the military hospital within minutes of testing, concluded that Arunjit’s mental age was that of a four-year-old child, yet he decided to grill him with endless series of tests for a few more hours, which was a painful experience for Arunjit. His IQ was recorded as 19 (30 IQ is the lower limit for anyone to look after himself, leave alone make a living) and based on these tests the psychologist at the Sector 16 hospital gave the necessary certificate.
Yet, the pension authorities were not satisfied and required another certificate. This time from the “appointing authority”. Now who could be the appointing authority for Arunjit and to what appointment was he placed; as a mentally challenged person ! Only God could have appointed him in that condition. No clarification was forthcoming from the pension people. Then we suggested that, “appointing authority” may actually be, “appropriate authority,” which the pension people reluctantly accepted. Now in this case the appropriate authority, they said, is the Army Headquarters( AHQ). But why AHQ? Anyway, AHQ declined to give any such certificate. May be they felt Arunjit could make a living, perhaps by taking to begging!
While this endless struggle, spread over four years, to get him his due pension was still on, Arunjit was taken seriously ill and had to be rushed to the military hospital, where at first, he was refused admission because the authorities there felt he was a non-entitled case, though they knew that he was entitled to a pension from the defence department. Then there was a letter from the previous army chief stating his entitlement to treatment in a military hospital and yet another letter earlier sent to the commandant at the time of tests for determining his IQ, giving his background and entitlement.
All that was of little avail and nothing could move the hospital staff. Some pull, push and a jack got him into the military hospital. But the surgeon went away before the appointed date for his operation and the authorities decided to discharge him. So when his sister went to meet him, she found him slumped in a wheelchair in the verandah, rather than in his bed. He had been discharged in the morning. This ejection from military hospital was followed by desperate rounds of some private hospitals. In his condition, this to and fro shifting was too much for Arunjit and he gave up life gasping for breath.
What entitled Arunjit to a pension from the defence department? His father, Diwan Ranjit Rai, was in command of 1 Sikh, the most famous battalion of the Indian Army when he was dispatched, post haste, along with two of his companies, to save, if possible, the Srinagar airfield and the town from the advancing tribal hordes. He accomplished this task with remarkable skill and daring. Alive to the historic nature of his mission, he acted well beyond the call of duty and in the process laid his life.
In fact, by saving the airfield he saved the Srinagar valley. He was the first officer of the Indian Army to lay down his life in the defence of J and K and also became the first recipient of Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) in the country. Arunjit was his only son and the rules entitled him to a pension and treatment in a military hospital. His pension never came through and authorities at the military hospital never reconciled to his entitlement. Bureaucracies, civil or military, are equally heartless, pitiless and cussed.
There is nothing Good or Bad, it is all about Choices ........ So choose wisely.
Don't believe all that you hear and don't say all that you think.
Learn to listen. It is an art.
Not knowing something is normally a milestone on the way to Knowledge.
S.MURUGAN.
AIR CMDE(Retd)
D532, Jalvayu Vihar,
Kalyan Nagar Post,
Bangalore-560043.
Tel No" 080- 23682532.
Mobile: 9343730552.
