Defence chiefs take their pay grudge to PM

NOT A FAIR DEAL: Main objection is against lowering of the pay band for Lt Colonels and equivalent ranks.

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New Delhi: The military leadership has taken its protest over poor pay to the Prime Minister.

Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over perceived discrimination against the forces on Friday.

It is unprecedented for the Indian military to take its campaign for better pay to the level of the Prime Minister.

Ironically, Admiral Mehta, who is also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, had initially welcomed the revised pay deal for the forces.

But the military went back to protest mode after it realised that some other categories had got a better deal.

The military's principal objection is against lowering of the pay band for Lt Colonels and equivalent ranks.

The forces claim equivalence of Lt Colonels with civilian directors in the government of India, who have now been put in a higher pay band.

The military also wants Lt Generals to get the same pay as directors-general of police.

The Finance Ministry had on Wednesday virtually rejected military's pay demands, and the three services chiefs had no Thursday said that issues raised by them should be addressed by the country's political leadership instead of the Anomalies Committee.

The three had urged Defence Minister A K Antony that the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) issues raised by them be addressed by the political leadership.