OROP issue figures in BJP-RSS meet

The contentious One Rank One Pension issue for retired defence force personnel figured prominently on Wednesday during a meeting between BJP and RSS leaders here.

Sources said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bahgwat talked to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar separately on the OROP issue on the first day of the three-day coordination meeting that began on Wednesday.

Parrikar briefed Bhagwat on the issue, whereas Jaitley spoke on its financial implications.

The sources said that the RSS chief also sought to know from Jaitley the problems the central government faced in the implementation of the OROP.

According to sources, Bhagwat asked the BJP leaders to resolve the OROP issue at the earliest and suggested setting up of a commission to deal with its financial implications, if needed.

Ex-servicemen have been protesting against the non-implementation of the OROP for more than two-and-a-half months at the Jantar Mantar here. Several ex-servicemen are sitting on an indefinite hunger strike to press for the OROP.

BJP president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar and Health Minister J.P. Nadda attended the meeting.

Ram Madhav, a Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary who was formerly with the RSS, and BJP general Secretary (organisation) Ram Lal were also present.

All the organisations affiliated to the RSS gave their feedbacks on major initiatives of different ministries under the Narendra Modi government. Sources said these feedbacks would be provided to the prime minister whenever he attends the BJP-RSS meet.

Around 95 members of the RSS, the BJP's ideological parent, are expected to take part in the meeting being held in a Madhya Pradesh government guest house in Vasant Kunj here.

Modi is likely to attend the meeting on September 4.

A number of issues such as the agitation by the Patel community in Gujarat for reservation in jobs and education and a recently released religious census data are expected to be discussed in the three-day meeting.