OROP scheme: Congress accuses PM Modi of 'cheating' ex-servicemen

The Congress Party on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of 'cheating and humiliating' ex-servicemen on the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) issue and pledged its support to the protesting former defence personnel

"In OROP, the Prime Minister has cheated ex-military personnel...Antony ji (former Defence Minister A.K. Antony) had done complete home work on this issue and gave budget provision, token provision. He had also completed all procedural formalities," Congress leader P.C. Chacko told ANI.

"It was something that could have been done in one month but they have not done it in one and a half years....They have humiliated and cheated ex-servicemen, this is very sad. We are in favour of ex-servicemen, we will support them," he added.

Meanwhile, two ex-servicemen, Colonel Pushpendra Singh and Hawaldar Major Singh, began a hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar today demanding the implementation of OROP scheme.

OROP scheme has been a long-standing demand of nearly three-million ex-servicemen and war widows in the country. It seeks to ensure that a uniform pension is paid to defence personnel, who retire at the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement.