OROP agitation continues for 92nd day

The protest by ex-servicemen over 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP) continued for the 92nd day on Monday, with 32 veterans and women observing a relay hunger strike.

The veterans are now demanding that the government remove the anomalies in the OROP scheme that has been announced.

On Monday, they decided to take the battle to the social media.

"We have decided to take the battle to the social media. We are also getting a lot of youth support and many organisations and groups have come forth to support us," a spokesperson for the United Ex-Servicemen Front told IANS.

The OROP scheme announced by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will take 2013 as the base year to calculate pensions and the date of implementation will be July 1, 2014.

The period for review is five years, a major point of difference between the government and the ex-servicemen.

The veterans say this will make it 'one rank five pension' and differences will pile up every year.

Another major point of contention was the government's decision to keep those who take voluntary retirement out of the ambit of the scheme. However, both the defence minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi later assured that people opting for premature retirement will not be left out of the scheme.