Implement OROP in urgent time frame:10 ex-service chiefs to PM

Cranking up pressure on the government to implement ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) scheme, 10 former Service Chiefs have written to the Prime Minister pressing for its expeditious resolution even as two ex-Army men began an indefinite hunger fast at Jantar Mantar.

Voicing dismay over inability of political leadership to implement OROP, the former Service Chiefs in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the scheme should be implemented within a definite time frame as any further delay will lower the morale of the armed forces.

The unprecedented step by the 10 former Service Chiefs comes just days after Modi reiterated from Red Fort that government has accepted the OROP in principle and that talks are in final stages.

The Service Chiefs also sought immediate action against Delhi Police for its “high-handedness” on August 14 against the veterans who were staging <g data-gr-id="40">protest</g> at Jantar Mantar here to demand OROP implementation.

The letter, signed by former Army chiefs VN Sharma, Shankar Roy Choudhary, S Padmanabhan, N C Vij, J J Singh, Deepak Kapoor and Bikram Singh, regretted that Modi did not announce implementation of OROP in his Independence Day address, dashing the hopes of ex-servicemen.

Former Navy chief Admiral Madhvendera Singh and former Air Force chiefs N C Suri and S P Tyagi were also signatories to the letter. The development came on a day when two of the agitating ex-servicemen launched fast-unto-death.

“Col Pushpender Singh (<g data-gr-id="30">Retd</g>) and <g data-gr-id="31">Haviladar</g> Major Singh <g data-gr-id="32">rpt</g> Major Singh (<g data-gr-id="33">Retd</g>) have undertaken fast-unto-death from on Monday,” Col Anil Kaul (<g data-gr-id="34">Retd</g>), media advisor to the United Front of Ex-Servicemen Movement, said as the agitation at Jantar Mantar here entered the 64th day on Monday.

Former Army Chief Gen V P Malik, who tried to assist in the negotiations with the ex-servicemen, on Monday said the basic issue on which stalemate persisted was agreeing on the base year for the OROP implementation, ranging from 2006, 2011 to 2013-14. He appealed to those on fast-unto-death not to proceed with such extreme steps.

In their letter, the Service Chiefs said, “We had earlier not approached the Honourable Prime Minister as we had full faith in the announcements made by our senior political leadership from time to time.We were also hopeful that the announcement  of the implementation of the OROP would be made to the Nation on Independence Day. Regrettably this has not happened,” said the letter.

 “We have full faith in our political <g data-gr-id="44">leadership</g> but their inability to clinch the issue leaves us dismayed. We stand  steadfastly by the side of our colleagues and fully support  their just cause,” the

letter said.