Failure to keep their promises by successive governments over the implementation of 'One Rank One Pension' scheme has irked defence forces veterans who are now planning to hold a massive protest in the national capital. The scheme has been hanging fire for the last 33 years and veterans feel let down by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With Modi, who used to harp on 'One Rank One Pension' during his 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, failing to make any mention of the scheme during his Mathura rally on the eve of his government completing a year in office on May 25, the veterans feel let down and betrayed by the Centre once again.
Reaching out to ex-servicemen, Modi had in a Lok Sabha poll rally said, "If Atal Bihari Vajpayee had come to power in 2004 then the One Rank One Pension problem wouldn't have come up. He would have given retired Army officers and serving officers the means to live with dignity."
But even one year after he assumed power on May 26, 2014, the promise remains unfulfilled.
While visiting jawans in Siachen on October 23, 2014, Modi had said, "The promise of OROP has been fulfilled. We want all our Army officers to live with dignity."
Despite the Prime Minister's assurances, the scheme continues to elude ex-servicemen. OROP has been a long-standing demand of the over 2 million ex-servicemen in the country. It seeks to ensure that a uniform pension is paid to defence personnel who retire at the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.
To register his protest against the government, 1971 war hero Wing Commander Sudhir Karnik on Thursday boycotted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's programme in Pune. His move has been applauded by many.
Wing Commander (retired) Karnik said, "The Prime Minister is demoralising armed forces and this is bad for the country."
Backing Karnik, Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement Lieutenant General (retired) Raj Kadyan said, "The government has to make it clear how long we have to wait for the fulfillment of the promise."
The agitation has forced the Navy Chief and the BJP to turn into pacifiers but that hasn't cut much ice with the veterans
Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan said, "The government is seized of the matter. Many steps have been taken and I would urge ex-servicemen to have patience."
Defending the government, BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said, "All I would say is that it's going to be announced very soon."
Defence Minister Parrikar, too, has stepped in and sought time to implement the scheme as it involve huge amount. "After taking charge as Defence Minister, I was told that the amount kept aside is Rs 22,000 crore. We have held detailed discussions on this. This is the first time that the Armed Forces and ministry have unanimously agreed on this. We will give OROP as soon as possible, but since such a huge amount is involved, it will take time," Parrikar said
The Finance Ministry is yet to give green signal for the announcement but the matter is being increasingly politicised with the Congress raising the pitch and supporting the ex-servicemen.
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