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Arms and the men |
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By: Hemal Ashar |
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Date:
2008-11-30 |
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Place: Mumbai |
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Deepa Malik's rally was cancelled due to the terror attacks | Deepa Malik, a paraplegic, who lost the use of her legs due to a spinal tumour years ago, was to ride in a bike rally in Mumbai on Sunday, November 30 for Aids awareness. Malik was to lead a clutch of bikers on a custom-made bike called a 'quad' bike. The rally has been cancelled in the wake of the terror attacks on the city. Malik, though, an Ahmednagar resident has not returned to the safety of her home.
In fact, the woman in the wheelchair, like Malik likes to call herself, is an army woman (Deepa's father was in the Indian army, her brother is still serving and she is married to an army man). Deepa has been living in the Officers Mess in Mumbai, approximately one km from where the Grenadier unit of the army is stationed. This was the army unit deployed in the Mumbai operation against the terror attacks.
Some persons of the unit are dispersing now that the Mumbai operation is over while others are still here. Malik went to the unit lines on Saturday evening to congratulate them. She says, "The morale was high. Some of them said, "Madam, we have seen worse'. There was also sadness at all the people lost. At some level I sensed they were proud to be part of the operation."
Malik adds, "I thought to myself, this is so ironical. This unit has been posted here in Mumbai as a psychological break. It had performed so well in earlier postings at field stations that this was supposed to be a 'peace station' posting."
The operation is over but Malik says, "We also need to look at the unity of these men in uniform. Is anybody asking which religion or caste they come from? Their uniform and service to the nation defines them. Why can't we be like the army? One."
She also makes a case for the Sixth Pay Commission (pay hike for the army) to be implemented. |
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