MoS Defence Veterans Day remarks demeaning: OROP stir leader

Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre's remarks that "some elements" are trying to project a negative image of the government is "demeaning" to veterans, the ex-servicemen group, which is spearheading the stir for OROP implementation for last 590 days today alleged.
"We have not been fighting for money per se, but more importantly for honour, justice and dignity for our ex-servicemen and for our jawans. And, the Minister of State for Defence's 'some elements' remarks is demeaning to us veterans," Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) chairman Maj Gen (retd) Satbir Singh said.
The leader of IESM, which has been spearheading the agitation for "actual implementation" of OROP, also said, the members of the group will "hoist the national flag at Jantar Mantar on Republic Day."

"We are proud soldiers. And we are not hooligans that we will go and disturb the solemn Republic Day ceremony on Rajpath. We interrupt meaningfully and not disrupt at will.
"But, we are not fools that we don't understand the import of the minister (Bhamre) when he recently said that 'some elements' were trying to create problems. What he was was unfortunate and demeaning to veterans," Singh said.
Following his remarks, three members of this movement, took offence and went on hunger strike from the next day at Jantar Mantar.

"One of them is a woman, and on January 22 she had to be rushed to Army Research & Referral Hospital. He is stable but she still refuses to be on drip. But, will the government feel their pain, our pain," Singh said.

On the inaugural session of the first Armed Forces Veterans' Day at Delhi Cantonment on January 14, Bhamre had said, "Our Prime Minister, Defence Minister are sensitive towards all your questions. We will try to address your grievances but unfortunately some elements are making wrong statements regarding defence affairs and creating myth, which is not right."
Singh also alleged that the babudom has not presented a "actual picture" of the plan's implementation to the government, which in its notification in 2014 had "changed the definition" of OROP implementation.
"We feel shortchanged and betrayed and I beseech to the conscience to our Prime Minister to either remove the anomaly in the notification or give us (IESM) an audience for 15 minutes to help make the picture clear," Singh said.

"We don't want one rank many pensions, we want one rank one pension," he said.
"A soldier signs a blank cheque of his life to the nation when he wears the uniform. There is an unwritten agreement between a soldier and a nation. When he hangs his uniform or falls in the line of duty, he expects for himself or for his family a life of honour and dignity. But, now I see that unwritten agreement under strain," he said.
"I appeal to the PM that do not make your soldiers come out in the streets on Republic Day," he said.