Ex service-men from UP to join protest over 'one-rank, one-pension'

Thousands of retired army men from Uttar Pradesh will participate in a protest demonstration to press for 'one-rank, one-pension' at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on June 14, an office-bearer of the Bhootporva Sainik Sangh said on Wednesday.

The retired armymen directorate data shows that more than 3.76 lakh retired military personnel live in Uttar Pradesh, with 23,438 living in the state capital alone, who are looking for an amicable solution to the long standing issue of one-rank, one pension.

Office-bearers of the retired army body said they were very hopeful that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would look into their demands but not much progress has taken place in the last one year.

"We are still hopeful about a resolution to the whole impasse but in case our demands are not met with now, we will return all our medals to the government during the protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi," a retired army colonel, now working with a private firm, told IANS.

The Bhootporva Sainik Sangh has also written a letter to Prime Minister Modi to come out with a solution.

Referring to a recent radio programme, wherein Modi reiterated his government's commitment on the one-rank one pension issue, a retired officer said that ex-servicemen were "still hopeful" but were going ahead with the protest in the national capital.

Uttar Pradesh has 3,26,191 retired army personnel, 43,700 retired from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 17,628 from the Indian Navy.