Govt. making war wounded soldiers 'crawl' for OROP, claims ex-army officer

Major General (Retd.) G D Bakshi on Thursday questioned the government's delay in clearing the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme and alleged that retired soldiers were being made to 'crawl' or go to court for demanding their disability pension.

"What we cannot understand is that when the PM himself has made a commitment, why it is being delayed," he said.

"So what if the Prime Minister said yes, so what if the Finance Minister said yes, it is the bureaucrats who will decide whether you get it or you do not get it, we will make you crawl, we will take you

to court like they are taking the injured, war wounded people to courts for asking for their disability pension," he added.

Major General (Retd.) Bakshi said the government was making it an issue due to its monstrous egos to deny a war-wounded service chap his pension.

"You're prepared to spend government money to fight cases against war wounded people, you are not prepared to give them their pays," he said.

Two war veterans had earlier boycotted a function where they were to be felicitated by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. Wing Commander S D Karnik and Wing Commander Bhopadekar are protesting against the delay in the proposed "One Rank One Pension" scheme for the armed forces.

'One Rank One Pension' 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.