'Uneducated' Rahul Gandhi should read about OROP: Swamy

Taking strong exception to Rahul Gandhi's accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the delay in the implementation of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said that the 'uneducated' Congress vice-president should read about the army services scheme.

"Just making blank statements only shows that the man doesn't apply his mind. I don't think he knows how to read and write. Ask him to go and read what OROP is. When the Defence Ministry issued it...it covered what OROP covers. I think he is not an educated person, so he makes these kinds of rumours by somebody telling him, some briefing him. They do half briefing and he makes a fool of himself," Swamy told ANI.

Gandhi yesterday alleged that the Centre was disrespecting soldiers by not fulfilling their long pending demand.

Gandhi who met the ex-servicemen protesting at the Jantar Mantar against the government's lackadaisical approach on the OROP scheme, said the issue at this point of time is not just about the implementation of the scheme, but giving justice to the soldiers.

"The Prime Minister has been boasting about implementing OROP, if it is true then why are the ex-servicemen agitating at the Jantar Mantar? Why are they protesting here for the last 509 days?" asked Gandhi, adding, "But the truth is that the government has not implemented the OROP."

Gandhi also pointed out that the ex-servicemen "have also been demanding for implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission and disability pension."

The Congress vice-president further said that the demand for OROP is not just about money but about the soldiers pride and justice.