OROP protest: Bassi refutes charges that Army veterans were manhandled by Delhi Police

Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi on Friday rubbished the allegations that the Delhi police had taken rough action on the Army veterans who were protesting to demand implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme (OROP), and said that the veterans have been allowed to protest peacefully at Jantar Mantar.

"The veterans did not want to discontinue their 'dharna' so I allowed them to continue. There is no problem. We are letting them sit there peacefully. Our job is to maintain law and order. Those who are protesting peacefully should not be given any inconvenienience," Bassi told the media here.

Bassi, however added that the norm is that before August 15 who so ever sitting on Dharna at Jantar Mantar are requested to move away for a day as it is the procedure.

He said that about 25 groups who were sitting at Jantar Mantar for protest had moved away after they had been told to so do and that the Delhi Police had even assisted them.

A group of former Indian Army servicemen demanding the implementation of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) policy on Friday resisted eviction from the protest site at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar by the Delhi Police and the New Delhi Municipal Corporation, which were trying to clear the area in view of the security concerns ahead of the Independence Day on Saturday.