Ask Defence officers whether they are happy with OROP: Digvijaya tells Centre

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi led-government to ask the defence officers about the grievances and problems on One Rank One Pension (OROP), adding that the ruling dispensation should apologise for their decision to reduce the disability pension.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is only doing politics and no prime minister should speak like this. Ask the defence service officers on their grievances over OROP and whether they are satisfied or not," Singh said.

"The government should ask apology for decreasing the disability pension," he added.

The Congress leader also accused the ruling dispensation at the Centre of downplaying the contribution of Nehru-Gandhi family in freedom movement and post independence period.

Prime Minister Modi yesterday said Rs 5,500 crore have been paid for implementing OROP scheme, an issue that has been hanging fire for the last 40 years, even as he lauded the valour and sacrifice of the armed forces amid tension on the border with Pakistan.

Dedicating this Diwali to the armed forces personnel, he said he has "fulfilled the promise" he made to ex-servicemen on the OROP.

Prime Minister Modi attacked the Congress Party and said that the issue had been pending for "40 years" as certain people in the previous governments "did not know" about the OROP, and therefore "only Rs 500 crore was allocated" for the purpose.