CHANDIGARH, JAN 20: While the unrest in the Indian Air Force (IAF) could be attributed to the Fifth Pay Commission's recommendations, the move by the Defence Ministry to open a direct channel of communication with the agitating airmen may have encouraged them to express their grievances publicly.In an unprecedented move, ground duty officers and airmen from different bases openly agitated over the Pay Commission's recommendations. Forced to intervene, the MoD opened direct channels of correspondence last year, where airmen could approach the Prime Minister or the Defence Minister with their grievances. However, Air Force authorities opposed the move, saying it went against the established norms in the services.In August last, Air Headquarters informed Air Force personnel that as per the Central Government's directions, no disciplinary or administrative action would be taken against those communicating directly with the Prime Minister or Defence Minister.The Air Headquarters notification (no. Air HQ/S23406/306/PS) had quoted the Government stand as follows: ``No disciplinary action should be initiated against any personnel approaching the Prime Minister unless initiation of action is approved by him. It would be unwise to shut down the avenue of approaching the PM. However, in appropriate cases where the approach is made in an objectionable manner, action can be initiated, but such action should be initiated only with the approval of the PM.''When the number of direct communications mounted and led to administrative problems, Air Headquarters again took up the matter with the Government. But the latter reiterated its earlier position. Even as Air Force authorities are now trying to take ``corrective measures'', anonymous letters ``highlighting pay-scale inconsistencies and suggesting a course of action'' are being mailed to select ground duty officers and newspaper offices from various Air Force stations. The command of Jamnagar Air base and Bhuj, which witnessed agitations, was changed recently. Both officers had good records.``But this is a natural corollary of what happened in their bases as per service ethos, and is irrespective of their service record,'' explained a serving officer.In-house studies commissioned by the IAF had indicated that the level of discontent owing to poor service conditions had reached alarming proportions. A study by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1995 revealed that the IAF top brass was aware of the problem. While indicating that the crux of the discontent lay in the Engineering Branch, the study had stated: ``The lack of autonomy is the chief as well as the chronic blockage in the technical branch, which has lead to a hostile environment and slowly frustration is headed towards collapse.''Even earlier, while redressing such issues, a five-member committee headed by the present Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal A Y Tipnis, had recommended radical changes in the IAF's command structure and cadre management with due representation to technical officers.In their representation to the President, the ground duty personnel have demanded that appointments to all senior posts be rotated between pilots and aeronautical engineers; pilots be relieved of any managerial responsibility; the command of predominantly technical stations and ground-based operational units be handed over to technical officers.However, not all officers agree to the demands.
