Dear All

This mail is not to counter the issues raised by Col Rajan in his mail on AGM/El
ection and the rally of IESM. It is important that the truth must prevail and an
d anything other than the truth must be corrected.
I have already sent the prelim report on the conduct of AGM and Elections held o
n 27 November 2010 and similarly another report has been sent by the Chairman fo
r the rally held at Jantar Mantar on 28 November 2010. These two reports very cl
early confirm the smooth and orderly conduct of the AGM/Elections and rally of I
ESM.
Final report for the AGM/Election is under preparation and will be forwarded to
all soon.
All veterans have witnessed during the AGM that the IESM works democratically an
d majority view always prevails. All the points received from the members were i
ncluded in the Agenda, including the points received during the meeting, and aug
ust gatherings views were taken and decisions were accordingly recorded.
It is for the information of all that it would not be possible for any organisat
ion to work if any one member insists that whatever he says has to be followed b
y all otherwise he would resign. No organisation can work efficiently under thre
at of any kind. This is exactly what is the intention of one of the member of th
e IESM. He had following main points and all the points were discussed in detail
and august gatherings' view was taken
Reduction of membership fee to Rs 10/ for all.
His model of federal structure to be adopted by the IESM.
Inclusion of state conveners as GB members
I would like to put across the correct perspective for the information all the m
embers of IESM and leave it for them to make their opinion.
Reduction of Memebership fee to Rs 10 for all:
The membership fee structure of Rs 500/, 200/ and 100/ for officers, JCOs and OR
s was approved at the time of formation of IESM. In one of the meeting it was su
ggested by Chairman of IESM Gen Kadyan that the membership fee for the ORs be re
duced to Rs 10 instead of Rs 100/ as approved by the house at the time of forma
tion of IESM. It was opposed by Col Rajan quote " There are no free lunches for
any one". Other members of the Governing body also opposed it and the Chairman w
as over ruled and the exististing membership fee structure of Rs 500/ for office
rs, Rs 200/ for JCOs and Rs 100/ for the ORs was retained. After couple of month
s Col Rajan got a brain wave and decided that the membership fee structure shoul
d be reduced to increase the members of IESM as this issue had become article of
faith for him!!. He decided that the membership fee should be Rs 100/ for offic
ers, Rs 40/ for JCOs and Rs 20/ for ORs. The point was debated in the core group
meeting held on 1 Nov 09 and it was decided that the membership of IESM can be
increased by taking up mass contact programs and meeting the veterans in the vil
lages and there is no need to reduce the membership fee. Relvant para of the min
utes of the meeting is placed below.
Membership fee for IESM
It was brought out that the membership to IESM has reduced to a trickle since la
st three months. Lt K Pandey suggested that it is mainly because of very high ra
tes of membership. The similar views were received from some state conveners and
other members IESM through the net. The point was discussed in detail and the C
hairman explained to all that it is very difficult to maintain the same tempo fo
r the movement for a long time, every movement slows down with time and picks up
again. He put across following three models in-front of the house.
· Zero membership for all for a period of three months.
· Reduce the fee to 50% or 25% whatever the house approves.
· Maintain statues quo.
All the options were discussed in details and all members gave their views, it w
as felt that the new membership has reduced because ESMs in the villages are not
aware of the IESM and its achievements. Slow down in new membership is not beca
use of high fee. Hony Captain SN Sharma explained that he has travelled to the v
illages deep inside UP and he has not felt any resistance for the membership fee
, it is only that these veterans are not aware about the IESM and its achievemen
ts. In view of this it was decided to maintain the status quo for the time being
. The matter could be reviewed in future if strength of IESM remains static.
Col Rajan at this point pressed the Chairman and Vice Chairman in repeated telep
hone calls and threatened to resign if his point of view was not accepted. On hi
s insistence and to accommodate a senior member of the GB, Chairman issued a Sit
rep and reduced the membership fee to 100/, 40/ and 20/ for officers, JCOs and O
Rs for a trial period of one month from 16 Dec 09 to 15 Jan 10. It was vehemento
ly opposed by the members of the GB and other state conveners. Some of the state
conveners even expressed that they would continue enrolling new members at old
rates of membership fee. However, during this trial period members were inducted
at reduced rate. Membership fee was reverted back to its original rate on 15 Ja
n 10 and an advisory was issued to all state conveners. Despite the advisory the
some of the state and district conveners continued enrolling new members at red
uced rates under instruction of Col Rajan. Col Rajan again persisted that the me
mbership fee must be reduced and again brought up the issue in SZMV meeting held
at Bangalore on 27 June 10. In the meeting it was announced by Maj Gen Satbir a
nd Gp Capt VK Gandhi that the issue had been discussed in the core gp meeting of
1 Nov 09 and the majority was not in favour of reduction of the fee and assured
the gathering that the issue had been noted and would be put in next AGM and la
rger gathering in November 2010. Despite this Col Rajan continued enroling new m
embers at reduced membership fee. At this point Col Rajan announced that the mem
bership fee should be uniform for all at the rate of Rs 10/ for officers, JCOs a
nd ORs. As promised issue was discussed in the AGM and the august gathering gave
opinion in favour of existing membership fee and over-ruled any reduction in th
e membership fee.
Federal Sturcture proposed by Col Rajan
This point was also put up for the opinion of the gathering during AGM and it wa
s rejected by voice vote. All expressed that the existing structure of the IESM
is good and should be strengthen further.
Inclusion of state conveners as members of GB;
All state conveners are members of core group and as per MOA core gp meeting is
held after every three months. Core gp meetings had been held on 1 Nove 09, 13 M
ar 10 and 25 Sep 10, apart from this two AGMs were held on 13 Dec 09 and 27 Nov
10. All state conveners are authorised for reimbursment of the fare for their t
ravel to Delhi for the core gp meeting, despite this the strength in the core gp
meeting had been very low. It was therefore not understood that if the state co
nveners were reluctant to attend the meeting once in every quarter how will they
attend the GB meeting which is held twice in a month? Keeping this fact in min
d the august gathering rejected the proposal of Col Rajan in the AGM.
The main question arises out of the discussion above is "can one member's artic
le of faith become commandment for other respected members"? I do not think so,
I feel every decision should be taken democratically and majority view should pr
evail. AGM was conducted with this spirit in mind.
Col Rajan has decided to resign from the primary membership of IESM because his
views had not been accepted by the august gathering at AGM. We feel sad to loose
a friend and an energetic leader but are left with no choice. IESM wishes him a
ll the very best in all his ventures.
I have put across the events in correct perspective and It is for the environmen
t to study the situation and form their own opinion on the issue.
THE TRUTH MUST PREVAIL.
Regards
Gp Capt VK Gandhi VSM
Gen Sec IESM