Defence Employees Write to the Chief of the Army Staff

The president and secretary of the All India Defence Employees’ Federation wrote an open letter to the Chief of the Army staff. The letter appeals him to advise the senior army officers and retired army officers to stop mudslinging against the Ordnance Factories, DRDO, DGQA and other defence establishments and to stop maligning the image of the vital defence establishments. The letter has also been forwarded to Arun Jaitely, Defence Minister Government of India and others.

To

General Bipin Rawat, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM,

Chief of the Army Staff

South Block, New Delhi – 110001

Respected Sir,

Kindly allow us the liberty of taking a little bit of your valuable time, which we feel it has become essential considering the various false and fabricated criticism the Indian Ordnance Factories are facing from some of the serving Army Officers and Retired Army Officers. We the undersigned are two retired proud employees of Ordnance Factories and since we are holding the responsibility of the President and General Secretary of the largest Federation of the Trade Unions of the Defence Civilian Employees we in our wisdom thought that we should not remain as a silent spectator on these planned attack against the Ordnance Factories. Therefore we thought it is prudent to bring the following facts / views to your kind notice with the hope that   you will take remedial action so that the traditional and historical patriotic relationship between the Ordnance Factories, DRDO, DGQA and other Defence Establishments and the Army are maintained in a cordial manner in the interest of National Security and Defence Preparedness.

Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand, Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS), during the inaugural session of AMICOM 2017 stated  “There is little or no research and development in ordnance factories. They do not even have the capability of absorbing the industry through transfer of technology, and in some cases  they  have  even  failed  to  assemble products  that  have  been imported from abroad. It is very hard to see ordnance factories changing in the present state. Overall it has become an unsuccessful method of supporting our defence requirements.” Moreover, he stated “I would even go to the extent of saying that Pakistan probably has a better industrial base, as far as defence production is concerned, than our country. In fact they export defence equipment abroad, definitely more than what we are doing. ”

The above statement was not only published in the Indian Media but also in the Pakistan Media. We feel that the above statement of the VCOAS is not a responsible statement and it is not in line with the fact. This statement of the VCOAS is music to the ears of terrorists and anti National elements. A part from this, such statements are demotivating the entire workforce of Ordnance Factories, DRDO and Defence PSUs. Such a statement in a public forum which has attracted the media all over the world has hurt the feelings and sentiments of the patriotic citizens of this country.

We fail to understand that how the VCOAS has underestimated the Ordnance Factories which has played a very vital role in all the major wars India has faced after independence including the Kargill crisis which was appreciated by the then Hon'ble President of India Late K.R.Narayanan in the Parliament. Even in the latest Surgical Strike in Uri Sector on 29th  September , 2016 India was able to destroy the launching pads of terrorists which is a clear indication of the Supremacy of the Indian weapon system. In this surgical strike it was the weapons and ammunitions manufacture by the Ordnance Factories which played a major role. Therefore there cannot be a second opinion that the Indian weapons and ammunitions are far superior than Pakistan.

Even though OFB is not a designer, it has come up with many new products like Dhanush 155 mm 45 caliber Gun system, Commanders' thermal Imaging Night Sight for T-72, Driver Night Sight for BMP-II, Indigenous Barrel for T-90 Tank  & Mine Protected

Vehicle, Bullet Proofing of vehicle, Water Bowser (2 KL), Base Bleed for 155 mm ERFB, A- 7  Ammunition  for  AK-47  for Indian  Army; Anti-submarine  Rocket (Practice version),CRN-91 with Optronic sight, Chaff Launcher Kavach MOD –I I for Indian Navy, 100-120 Kg Aerial Bomb for Indian Air Force.

 It is a fact that the (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has given the 38th position in the 100 companies indentified in the field of Military manufacturing. OFB will be able to provide you the list of products developed in the Ordnance Factories for the past more than 10 years which are required for the Indian Armed Forces.

You will appreciate the fact that T-72 and T-90 are almost indigenous tanks with full support of spares speaks volumes about technology absorption at OFB.  Recently, DAC approved a project of 693 Nos. TIFCS upgrade for BMPII on nomination basis to OFMK speaks not only of it capability to absorb, but upgrade the technology.

Another criticism made by the Senior Officers is about the cost of the troop comfort items like Army Logo Uniform, Boots, ECC clothing, Parachutes, Blankets etc. and on that plea argue that these items can be easily procured from the trade with a less cost. This is not a new criticism. However you will appreciate in the past with such type of criticism Army has gone to the private sector and has burned their fingers by not getting supply of qualitative    and timely supply of stores of    the so called noncore items. History is going to repeat and the decision makers for which the Army has a to pay a huge price in the future. The decision makers in the Army is going to learn the hard way. The delay on the part of the Army in deciding about the Assault Rifle developed by the

Ordnance Factories is also affecting the future of the Small Arms Group of Factories. The same is the situation with Vehicle Factory Jabalpur. These Factories are established for meeting the requirements of the Army and dismantling them on the basis of biased criticism by few vested interested elements is not going to be a wise decision in any manner. OFB does not sound its bugle about its capacity, performance and innovations.

More over we feel that the above public statement of a senior serving Army Officer is a clear violation of Section 21 of the Army Act and Rule 21 of Army Rules which states as follows:-

Section 21 of the Army Act restricts the certain fundamental rights in their application to persons subject to this Act to communicate with the press or to publish or cause to be published any book, letter or other document.

The Army Rules, 1954  brings out “21. Communications to the press, lectures, etc.—No person subject to the Act shall,—

(i) publish in any form whatever or communicate directly or indirectly to the press any matter in relation to a political question or on a service subject or containing any service information, or publish or cause to be published any book or letter or article or other document on such question or matter or containing such information without the prior sanction of the Central Government, or any officer specified by the Central Government in this behalf; or

(ii) Deliver a lecture or wireless address, on a matter relating to a political question or on a service subject or containing any information or views on any service subject without the prior sanction of the Central Government or any officer specified by the Central Government in this behalf. Explanation.—For the purposes of this rule, the expression “service information” and “service subject” include information or subject, as the case may be, concerning the forces, the defence or the external relation of the Union.”

We doubt whether such permission has been given by the Government to use such blasphemous language by the VCOAS against another Government Department i.e. the Indian Ordnance Factories.

Sir, we also would like to draw your kind attention to a similar statement made by Lt. Gen. (Retd) D B Shekatkar in his interview to the Times of India , New Delhi edition dated July 21, 2017. Another Retd. Col. Sri Khasgiwale has written a nasty article in the Maharashtra Times Marathi Newspaper Published from Pune using all types of abusive language against the Ordnance Factories. The   Defence Employees of Pune have strongly reacted against the News Paper for publishing such type of maligning Articles against the 217 years old Ordnance Factories.

These types of statements /articles / interviews have started coming in the press after the decision taken by the Government to allow 100% Private participation in Defence Productions. The Private Corporates who are interested in Defence Productions is using the Retd. Army Officers to write such damaging articles in the press against the Ordnance Factories and DRDO etc. It is a clear indication that these Officers are playing in the hands of the Private Sector who wanted to damage the Ordnance Factories and DRDO so that such Retired Officers and the Private Corporates are equally benefited. It is also a fact that many senior level Army officers are holding post retirement positions in Private Sector. Therefore we request your kind intervention in this regard   and we request You may kindly advise the serving Army Officers and Retired Army Officers not Institution which also has its own pride about its performance and its contribution to the Defence of the Country at par with the Armed Forces, since hundreds of civilian employees have sacrificed their life while performing their duty connected with the Defence of the Country.

We can only conclude this letter with the statement that the workforce of Ordnance Factories , DRDO  etc will fight and strive to ensure that the future of OFB DRDO and other Defence Establishments are bright. We   hope that you will view the contents of this letter in its true spirit and take remedial action so as to ensure that such type of false, fabricated and mischievous articles / interviews are not published by the serving and retired Army Officers.

With kindest regards,

Yours Sincerely,

(S.N.Pathak)                                                                                                                                                      (C.Srikumar)

President                                                                                                                                                  General Secretary

Copy to :

1)    Shri. Arun Jaitely

Hon'ble Defence Minister Government of India

South Block, New Delhi – 110 001.

2)    The Defence Secretary

Ministry of Defence

South Block, New Delhi – 110 001.

3)    The Secretary (DP)

Department of Defence Production

South Block, New Delhi – 110 001.

4)    The DG (R&D)& Secretary

Department of Defence Research and Development

DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 105.

5)    The DGOF & Chairman

Ordnance Factory Board

10-A, S.K.Bose Road, Kolkatta, 700 001.

For kind information and favourable action please.