AFVOA Newletters of Year 2009

Page 27 of 37 ARMED FORCES VETERAN OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION CHENNAI (Established 1994) Patron Lt Gen C Sundara Rao, PVSM Tele: 24461085 President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Maj Gen KS Chattaraman EME Tele: 22348394 Brig MohanThomas, AOC Tele: 22294080 Lt Col CR Sundar, Madras Tele: 22290186 Lt Col M Narayanan, Engrs Tele: 24488546 No 5 of 2009 Newsletter #05/2009 01 Nov 2009 The next bi-monthly meeting will be held at the Palm Grove Ecological Park and Sports Complex, Island Grounds on Sunday, 15 Nov 2009. It will be a day time meeting and will commence with Tambola at 1030 h. Please intimate your confirmation to Lt Col M Narayanan, Treasurer, Ph.: 2448 8546. Here’s betting that half the things you say you can’t do any more are things you never could do. Orben’s Candid Comment From the Editorial Team Veterans as Street Activists Since time immemorial men have come out onto the streets to jubilate and celebrate. On the other hand they have also assembled on the streets, roads and highways in large numbers; men, women, children, the young and the old, whole towns and even nations when they rise up to protest, to remonstrate, demonstrate, oppose or generally to voice objection to an ongoing wrong. So there is really nothing new fangled about street gatherings. However, The novelty in the phenomenon of veterans’ street activism that we witness today is that veterans, who were thus far a mere silent part of the protests, if at all, are slowly mutating, transforming and metamorphosing into objectors, advocates of change, campaigners and the catalyst who brings men out on the street. For Veterans too it is not new. The earliest example we have of this is that of EC officers. The typical EC officer is a grand man. In 1962 when we were under a surprise attack from the Chinese the nation wanted youths to join up as officers. It was the EC officers who answered the call of those drums and took up commission to fight for the nation. Such brave souls were told to go home in 1969. They went to the courts but to no avail. So they marched in Delhi to hand over a petition to the Chief. Their petition was received by a Captain from the