A war of words erupted between the Government and the anti-corruption activists led by Arvind Kejriwal today as the latter accused the Home Ministry and Defence Ministry of denying pension and other benefits to the commandos who fought terrorists in the Mumbai terror attack four years ago.
He also demanded an explanation for the missing funds that were donated by the public for the NSG but which never reached a single person.
Government hit back as soon as Kejriwal cited the case of NSG guard Lance Naik Surender Singh, who fought terrorists at the Taj Hotel and lost his hearing and his job in the process, and is today running from pillar to post for a small pension.
The official news channel of the Government the Press Information Bureau began to issue denials almost simultaneously through Twitter.
It said that the Government had informed Surender Singh on telephone on November 16 that war injury pension had been sanctioned, and that bankers were informed. The Government also claimed again through Twitter that "N K Surender Singh was getting war injury pension of Rs 25,254 per month and that Rs 31 lakh retirement emoluments have been paid to him."
This information however was contrary to what the Government had provided through Right to Information which informed Singh that the 11 injured commandos who took part in what was called Operation Tornado were given Rs 35,12,191 in all while the deceased commandos were given Rs 21.89 lakh each.
Singh found through enquires made through Right to Information that a substantial amount was received by the Government from various private sources as assistance meant for NSG commandos. This included Rs seven lakh received from cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Royal Western India Turf Club (Rs 2.5 lakh for each commando) Rohan Motors (Rs 2 lakh for each commando).
However, he said he or his 10 other colleagues who had fought the militants did not get any of it.
He said that when NSG was asked about these donations, it said that the money was returned to the donors as it was not supposed to accept any assistance.
While Manish Tiwari and the PIB today claimed that Singh was being paid Rs 25000 pension every month, he said he has not even received a single paisa so far and was told by various authorities that he was not getting it because he had not completed 15 years. Singh had completed only 14 years and three months in service when he was asked to discontinue. Singh and the other commandos have so far got Rs 50,000 from the Maharashtra Government, Rs 1 lakh from the Prime Ministers Fund, and Rs 78,318 from the NSG. He also got an unsigned certificate from the NSG.
The commandos have also received some money from their respective state governments. Four of the commandos also got Rs 2.5 lakh given by Royal Western India Turf Club while the rest did not get it.
Kejriwal said that the question was not about the denial of pensions but the denial of honour to the men who staked their all for the sake of the country.
Do they have to beg for their basic rights in spite of their brave confrontation of the terrorists? he asked.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari under whom the official information agency of PIB falls, said that Ministry of Defence will be putting a detailed statement but as far as he knew Surender Singh has been paid Rs 31 lakh.
