Ex-servicemen to scale up OROP protest

The ex-servicemen's protest over the delay in the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) for military pensioners will be scaled up in the coming days as most veterans have refused to go by the government assurances.

The ex-servicemen will on Friday symbolically burn their gallantry medals, which they earlier tried to return to President Pranab Mukherjee.

"At 11.30 a.m. on Friday, we will consign our medals to flames. The indefinite hunger strike and the agitation will not be called off until OROP is granted," said retired Major General Satbir Singh, chairman of the United Forum of Ex-Servicemen.

The veterans, before begining their agitation at the Jantar Mantar here, sent around 22,000 medals back to the president.

Meanwhile, the indefinite hunger strike by retired Colonel Pushpender Singh and former Havildar Major Singh continued for the fourth day on Thursday. It was the third day of the fast for retired Havildar Ashok Chauhan.

A section of the protesting ex-servicemen had urged them to give up their fast till August 26 as the veterans are trying to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We have urged Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to help us arrange a meeting with the prime minister," Satbir Singh told IANS.

Parrikar asked the veterans to wait till August 24, saying he was going to meet the prime minister.