Ex-servicemen continue protest over delay in 'one-rank, one-pay' policy

PM Modi had earlier assured ex-servicemen that his government would soon resolve the OROP issue

Hundreds of ex-servicemen gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi Monday continued their protest against the delay in implementation of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) policy.

The protest was organised by Indian ex-servicemen Movement (IESM). The IESM had warned last week that if their demands were not met, they would agitate and go on a hunger strike.

The treasurer of the IESM, who is also an ex-air force pilot, had earlier said that the advisors to the ministers in the government are behind the delay in implementing OROP.

"It is the advisors of the ministers who have made up their mind. A previous defence secretary had said 'OROP over my dead body', now they have to stay with that sentiment... Two Parliaments have approved it, every single national party has said yes... Investigation into this matter had revealed that it is a just thing to be done and yet after 32 years we are still wondering what is happening," he had said.

Meanwhile, the NDA Government has drawn flak from various political parties over its delay in implementing the OROP scheme.

Prime Minister Modi, while addressing the nation in his eighth edition of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, had assured ex-servicemen that his government would soon resolve the OROP issue.

The OROP scheme has been a long-standing demand of ex-servicemen's associations and relates to payment of uniform pension to defence forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.