OROP protest: Fasting veteran taken to hospital

United Ex-Servicemen Front spokesman Col. Anil Kaul (<g data-gr-id="26">retd</g>) said that the armed forces veteran was taken to the Army Research and Referral Hospital in South Delhi.

Col. Singh, however, said he will continue his hunger strike in <g data-gr-id="28">hospital</g> to continue his fight for the rights of ex-servicemen.

“I will continue the fast in <g data-gr-id="32">hospital</g>. The government must implement OROP soon,” he said as he was taken to hospital in a car. Retired Havildar Tej Singh, meanwhile, replaced Col. Singh. The health of the other two veterans, Major Singh and Ashok Kumar Chauhan, both retired havildars, was fine, Col. Kaul added. The spokesperson said police and the administration tried to take the veteran to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, but the ex-servicemen did not agree.

“The administration and police tried to hijack the ambulance to take him to RML hospital. We refused and took him by a private car to R&R,” Col. Kaul said.

“We have requested the army chief (General Dalbir Singh) to ensure proper treatment,” he added.

Monday was the 71st day of the agitation for OROP.

Ex-servicemen are demanding there should be no change in the definition of OROP, the date of implementation should remain as April 1, 2014, and the base year must remain 2013-14. That means all past pensioners would be brought at par with <g data-gr-id="30">pension</g> as existing on March 31, 2014.

There are around 24 lakh retired servicemen in India and around 6.5 lakh widows who will benefit if OROP is implemented.