Veterans ready for long fight over OROP

Miffed over their long-pending demand of one-rank-one-pension (OROP) not being met, veterans from the armed forces say they are ready for a long fight with the government and will launch an agitation next month.

On Thursday, two war veterans Wing Commander S.D. Karnik and Wing Commander Bhopadekar boycotted a function where they were to be felicitated by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

According to Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement chief Major General Satbir Singh (retd.) they have been trying to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a long time but have failed to get an appointment.

The veteran said the government should implement OROP as it was an election promise.

"Prime minister had promised that one-rank-one-pension will be given within 100 days of the government taking office; it's one year now. What happened to the promise," Singh asked while speaking to IANS.

"We are prepared for a long haul; we will start agitation from mid-June, and we will go on the streets," he said.

The Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, which has around 30,000 active members, is attached to several other organisations.

"It will be wrong to say that we will boycott all government functions. But if needed, to assert our views we will not participate in the Republic Day parade next year," Singh said.

"We met the defence minister four times. All modalities have been worked out... Why is the government delaying it now?" he questioned.

He said that it was an election promise of the government made by Modi himself. "We have written four letters to the prime minister; we have been seeking appointment with him, he does not even want to speak with us," said Singh.

"Modi promised three things, an ex-servicemen commission, war memorial at India Gate and one-rank one pension. Not even one has been implemented so far.

"Ex-servicemen are opinion makers in elections at several places; there are at least 150 constituencies where ex-servicemen dominate the voting pattern," he said.

There are around 24 lakh retired servicemen in the country, and around 6.5 lakh widows of men from the armed forces.

"When a soldier writes his life to the nation, it is the nation's responsibility to take care of him and his family. Those who have given their lives for the nation deserve their right," said Singh.

Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations at the time when the personnel retired. This leads to a difference in pension for officers of the same rank who retire on different dates.

With OROP, the retired personnel would draw the same pension as officers and soldiers of the same rank who are retiring now.

They would also be entitled to a year's pension arrears at the new rate which would be a windfall for them. OROP will benefit 25 lakh ex-servicemen and is expected to cost the government around Rs.8,500 crore.