Supreme Court's Suo Motu Action on Injured Cadets

The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance, following a media report, of the plight of cadets who were boarded out of military academies due to severe injuries sustained during training. This move addresses the long-standing neglect of their special needs and requirements by the state.

Challenges Faced by Injured Cadets

• The conflict between bureaucratic understanding and the lifelong consequences of serious injuries sustained in military duty highlights the need for flexibility and empathy.
• Existing rules often fall short in addressing the unique challenges and variations of human misfortune in military service.

Examples of Bureaucratic Inflexibility

• In 1989, the rule on family pension did not account for expectant widows, causing unnecessary hardship until the rule was amended after advocacy.
• A helicopter crash in the Siachen Glacier left one pilot dead and another severely injured, showcasing the need for flexible rule implementation.

Government Action and Bureaucratic Challenges

• Government recently granted disabled cadets medical benefits similar to those of ex-servicemen, acknowledging the issue after media attention.
• The bureaucracy often remains unmoved despite media reports, highlighting a lack of empathy and the need for judicial intervention.

Call for Proactive Government Measures

• Former Defence Minister George Fernandes emphasized the importance of addressing soldiers’ needs by sending bureaucrats to Siachen to understand ground realities.
• There is a pressing need for the government to act decisively and empathetically, encapsulated by Chanakya’s quote on a soldier’s dues.

Conclusion: The government must ensure flexibility and empathy in rule implementation for defence personnel, ensuring their sacrifices are honored and their needs addressed effectively.