OROP: Ex-servicemen upset with Parrikar's statement, push to meet PM Modi

Retired military personnel on Thursday boycotted the government's celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of India's 1965 war with Pakistan and expressed displeasure at Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's failure to give a concrete decision on the one rank one pension (OROP).

"We are proud that we fought the war and won it, which is why we are celebrating it in our own way. But we are boycotting the government's way of commemorating the event as they have disappointed us on many counts regarding to the matter of OROP," Retired Major General Satbir Singh told ANI here.

He also expressed his displeasure over Parrikar's statement today on the OROP and appealed to the Defence Minister to make decisions on his own any not come under anyone's influence.

"We have a lot of hope in the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, but we are very sad about what the latter said today and we want him to know that his bureaucracy is lying to him," Singh said.

The retired Major General also said that he wanted a meeting with the Prime Minister to that he can hear their demands in person.

"We request the Prime Minister to sit and talk with us and hear our side of the story. We have followed and supported him, and now we want him to be on our side," Singh said.

He also accused the 'babus' of tying to dilute and delay the issue and stressed that they wanted the OROP delivered as soon as possible.

The ex-servicemen will continue their agitation and wait for an invitation from the Prime Minister to talk on the matter.

Parrikar had earlier today hinted at the possibility of the government approving the OROP scheme for retired armed forces personnel.

"In principal the Prime Minister had approved it on the fifteenth of the month," Parrikar said.

He also asked the protesting ex-servicemen to give the government some time to finalise it.

"The Prime Minister Office is personally taking interest in this issue. It will be sorted out soon," he added.