OROP: Rahul accuses PM Modi of lying

Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday of lying about the one rank one pension (OROP) scheme, saying it was far removed from what the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance had promised to the ex-servicemen.

"Modiji stop lying about OROP...the veterans told me it is only enhanced pension," Gandhi said, after he discussed the issue with around 70 ex-servicemen.

He also urged the centre to implement the OROP meaningfully and respect the former soldiers who had given their lives for the country.

"The government will have to do it… they have no regards for the farmers and ex-servicemen… why would the ex-servicemen protest at Jantar Mantar if the OROP was fine," Gandhi said, indicating the party will not give up on the issues easily.

Gandhi had in September conducted a kisan yatra across poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, demanding a farm loan waiver and halving of the power bills. According to the Congress vice-president, the ex-servicemen told him that their fight was for honour and justice and not money. He charged the Centre with favouring the rich, saying the government had provided concessions to around 15 corporates worth Rs 1.10 lakh crore. "They said if the government tells us it has no money to pay the former soldiers, no one of them will demand OROP," said Gandhi, noting the protests had touched 519 days. Gandhi who had protested the ill-treatment of the kin of an ex-serviceman, Ram Kishan Grewal, who took his life over faulty OROP, said the government should treat no citizen in such state.

Former defence minister AK Antony, who accompanied Rahul, said Rahul was a force and inspiration behind the UPA's move to announce OROP.

"This government has cheated the ex-servicemen," he said, adding that Rahul's intervention had "galvanised" the protest of the ex-servicemen.