During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, while giving cover fire to his fellow soldiers in Jaisalmer area, Havildar Hoshiar Singh got a bullet in his left leg and ultimately lost the limb.

Hoshiyar Singh, hailing from Nangal Harnath village in Mahendragarh district of Haryana, retired in 1978, but for over 30 years, the disabled soldier has been fighting to get his due share of pension and other benefits generally offered to disabled war personnel.

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The 78-year-old ex-Havildar who stays in Chandigarh, said he has approached the Prime Minister, Union government, Army Chief, Governor Punjab-Cum-Administrator UT, Chandigarh, Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Allahabad, and several other authorities seeking complete benefits that he deserved being war disabled, but has failed to get extra disability allowances.

Hoshiar Singh claims that he is getting less pension in comparison to other disabled soldiers and the authorities despite frequent reminders have not corrected the anomaly. Also despite his repeated requests, the Chandigarh Administration has not considered his plea of allotting a booth generally allotted to disabled soldiers.

He said, “Earlier, I was getting a small amount as pension and after many years of struggle, now I am getting Rs 21000 as pension per month, while in similar cases, disabled soldiers are getting nearly Rs 40000 per month. We have approached the authorities established for redressal of grievances of soldiers right from district level to central level but that has not yet proved fruitful. Even after more than 30 years, I am still waiting for what I deserve.

“Soldiers return home from war with disabilities. They first suffer from combat injury and then from the humiliation of government dependency,” said Hoshiar Singh with a heavy heart.

When contacted, the Defence Pension Disbursement Office (DPDO), Narnaul, said the correction would be made by the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Allahabad.

“The correction if required, would be made by the concerned authority established in Allahabad. We are just the implementing authority. If the Allahabad office enhances his (Hoshiar Singh) pension and sends a copy to us, we will forward it to the bank accordingly but the soldier will have to pursue his case in the Allahabad office,” said an official from DPDO, Narnaul.

Having a large family including wife Bishanbai, four sons and two daughters, Hoshiar Singh believes that extra disability benefits could help his family eke out a sustainable livelihood.

The Chandigarh Administration had launched “Licensing of bare booth sites or built up booths to persons with disabilities scheme, 2009”. However, the scheme could not apply to Hoshair Singh as under the rules the family income of the applicant should not exceed Rs 1 Lakh per annum. “I have written to the Chandigarh Administrator requesting introduction of a similar scheme for disabled soldiers as booths are lying vacant in many sectors of the city. However, the administration has not heeded my request,” he added.

The war disabled ex-Havildar said like him there were numerous soldiers who returned home with disability but did not get their due share of the benefits they deserved for the services rendered to the nation.

His son Satbir said, “We have been pursuing the case with the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Allahabad, but nothing positive has come out. We have even tried to pursue our case in the Armed Forces Tribunal but instead of the fee, the lawyers asked for a fixed commission in case we get the benefits.”

Hoshiar Singh’s family said apart from participating in the military operation conducted by the Indian armed forces in 1961 to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule, Hoshiar Singh had also fought the 1962 Sino-Indian war and wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971.