Indian Military Veterans

Need compassion and not disdain, says 1971 war hero on Indian Army’s disability pension tax

Maj. Gen. Ian Cardozo (Retd) has written to the Army Headquarters after the latter defended taxing the disability pension for personnel.

Snehesh Alex Philip Updated: 4 July, 2019 5:39 pm IST

New Delhi: Major General Ian Cardozo (retd), a 1971 war hero, has expressed “deep anguish” over the Army Headquarters using his name to defend the tax on disability pension, saying the matter needed to be dealt with “compassion and not disdain”.

After he stepped on a landmine during the Bangladesh war, Cardozo had to amputate his own leg with his khukri to keep gangrene from setting in. He was a Major at the time, in his early 30s, but continued to serve in the Army.

In a series of tweets earlier this week, the Army had referred to Cardozo’s case, also cited by veterans against the move to tax the pension, before going on to explain how genuine injuries of personnel were being exploited by personnel for monetary benefit. Some personnel were even claiming the pension for “lifestyle diseases”, the Army said, triggering a furious backlash from active and retired soldiers on social media.

Maj Gen Ian Cardozo (Retd), #IndianArmy is a highly respected gallant soldier of 1971 war whose deeds exemplify true ethos of soldiering. As a living legend he has never let disability come between profession & military rigours.https://t.co/KL0BQ5Lowi

— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) July 2, 2019

After bank & Air India losses, BSNL reportedly running in loss to the tune of Rs 90000. Revival package of Rs 18000 crores may be in the offing. These losses mainly due to mismanagement & in some cases corruption doesn’t bother the Govt but disability pension to soldiers does.

— Brig V Mahalingam (@BrigMahalingam) July 4, 2019

Most unfortunate that @adgpi has still not removed the tweets that have caused such serious storm among their disabled brethren. Has this retrograde step has been driven by the single service. @IAF_MCC and @indiannavy have not put out any such tweets https://t.co/iBM2ps8URK

— Aviator Anil Chopra (@Chopsyturvey) July 4, 2019

In a letter to the Army Headquarters written Wednesday, Cardozo said the disabilities painted as “lifestyle diseases” in the tweets “are fully covered under the rules for disability pension”.

He said “lifestyle diseases” are covered under the pension for defence services and central armed police forces since they are caused by service conditions such as frequent movement, exposure to operations, inability to cater to domestic requirements, lack of sleep etc.

The only “lifestyle” that a soldier knows is “military lifestyle”, he added, saying “we cannot wash our hands of soldiers who incur disabilities during the course of their service”.

“What our soldiers suffering from any disability require is care and compassion, not disdain,” Cardozo said.

“Though the tweets referred to my war injury and my commitment to the organisation despite my disability, the same was apparently used to show other disabled personnel, that is, those who are suffering from non-combat disabilities, medical conditions and ailments, in an unpleasant light,” he wrote.

“The tweet also displayed lack of proper understanding of the issue which has legal, regulatory, medical, practical and tri-service dimensions,” he added.

“The misuse of ‘broad-banding’ alleged in your tweet is also puzzling,” said Cardozo. “Broad-banding is nothing but payment to disability pensioners in three broad bands of 50/75/100% introduced by the Fifth Pay Commission w.e.f 1996 to offset medical subjectivity due to varied percentages awarded by different boards and has been mandated by the decisions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” he added.

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