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NEW DELHI: Amid continuing row over government’s decision to tax disability pension of military personnel, a 1971 war hero has criticized the Army headquarters for using his name to defend the move as well as deride soldiers with non-combat disabilities, medical conditions and ailments.

Major General Ian Cardozo (retd), who as a young major amputated his own leg with his khukri after a landmine blast but continued in service to reach high rank, expressed his “deep anguish and concern” to the Army headquarters. “What soldiers suffering from any disability require is care and compassion, not disdain!” he wrote.

The two types of disability benefits given to soldiers are the war injury pension, like the one being received by Gen Cardozo, and normal disability pension due to the stress and strain of operational service. On average, disability pension is 20 to 50% higher than a normal one.

The government as well as Army chief General Bipin Rawat have faced flak for the finance ministry’s recent order that the disability pension of all military personnel will now be taxed unless they have been forced or “invalidated” out of service prematurely, as was reported by TOI earlier.

The Army headquarters, on its part, initiated the move on the ground that the “broad banding and higher compensation awarded for disability with tax exemption” has led to a significant rise in personnel seeking it even for lifestyle diseases.

“The trend, if not checked at this stage, is a cause for worry. The Army cannot have large number of personnel with medical disabilities in the rank and file when the security challenges to the nation are on the rise,” it said.

But the move has not gone down well among the veterans, who contend that misuse of the system by a few personnel should not be used to target all genuine disability cases.

“It’s ethically, morally wrong. We need to correct system and not punish innocent disabled soldiers,” said former Army chief General V P Malik (retd).

An organization, The Disabled War Veterans (India), also took strong exception to the Army's endorsement of the government’s decision, stressing any "discrimination or invidious distinction" affects the morale of the entire military community.

Gen Cardozo, on his part, said the disabilities painted as “lifestyle diseases” by the Army “are fully covered under the rules for disability pension” for the armed forces as well as central armed police forces because of their tough service conditions.

“If there indeed are a few instances of ‘feigned disabilities’, the loopholes may be plugged rather than broad-brushing. It is not understood why permissible benefits mandated by law are being demeaned,” he added.

