Two ex-servicemen begin hunger strike over demand for OROP

Two ex-servicemen, Colonel Pushpendra Singh and Hawaldar Major Singh, began a hunger strike over a demand for the implementation of One Rank, One Pension (OROP) at Jantar Mantar here on Monday.

"We have thought a lot before taking this decision. We thought till very late day before yesterday night and decide to sit on 'anshan'...We will fast till the OROP is implemented," said Colonel Pushpendra Singh.

Meanwhile, Major General (retd.) Satbir Singh urged both the ex-servicemen to call off the hunger strike as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is out of the country.

"We are going to request our two brothers to not go for the fast unto death. We want them to delay it for a few days, at least for ten days. The Prime Minister is out of the country, we have requested a meeting with him once he comes back," he said.

The ex-servicemen had threatened to intensify their agitation after Prime Minister Modi said during his Independence Day address that the decision on the OROP Scheme would be taken soon.

One Rank, One Pension ( 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.