Centre cheated ex-servicemen by diluting OROP scheme: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday met ex-servicemen protesting against the notification on 'One Rank, One Pension' (OROP) and said the Centre "cheated" the armed force veterans by announcing a "diluted" scheme.

"The union government has cheated the army veterans by implementing a diluted OROP scheme," Kejriwal said.

Supporting the ongoing protest of ex-servicemen, the chief minister demanded reconsideration of the changes made by the government in the implementation of the OROP scheme.

Kejriwal said the OROP scheme should be implemented in its original form as demanded by the ex-servicemen.

Aam Aadmi Party legislator from Chandni Chowk Alka Lamba, Delhi Cantt MLA Surender Singh, Bijwasan MLA Devendra Sekhawat and party leader Raghav Chaddha also expressed solidarity with the ex-servicemen.

Meanwhile, the ex-servicemen protesting at the Jantar Mantar in central Delhi said they would continue with their protest as they were fighting for their rights. They said the armed forces veterans would not accept a "diluted" OROP scheme.

The veterans listed seven contentious changes made by the government, including annual equalisation, 2013-14 as the base year for calculating pension, and taking the highest pension scale of 2013 as the base for calculation of pension.

As per the government notification, the OROP scheme would be reviewed once in five years and not annually.