Parrikar asks ex-servicemen to be patient on OROP
15 Jun 2015 7:10 AM IST
"I assure you whatever we have promised that all would be done... but some people need to be patient," Parrikar said addressing a conference here on challenges and solutions regarding border safety.
Upset over the delay in implementation of OROP, ex-servicemen held protests across the country, including in the national capital, demanding its immediate introduction.
The former soldiers have threatened to go <g data-gr-id="34">an</g> a relay hunger strike from tomorrow.
Parrikar also stressed on "zero tolerance" to acts of terrorism to address concerns about national security.
"You can drop a glass but you don't drop a child because you take all precautions and that is <g data-gr-id="44">mindset</g>. The day you would take a decision not to drop the glass, you won't drop it ever. Zero tolerance is the only solution for matters related to national security and that has to be the mindset," he said.
Apparently referring to the army's cross-border strikes in Myanmar following the killing of 18 soldiers in an ambush in Manipur, the minister said," A recent incident has changed the national security scenario and there appears to be a change in the mindset of people."
Parrikar said national security may be endangered due to internal disturbances, which could be a result of "internally or externally created problems." He said external issues could pose a threat to national security as happened during the <g data-gr-id="47">Bangaladesh</g> liberation war in 1971 when people from that country crossed into India to escape "genocide".
"External issues could be problematic to a nation as it happened in Bangladesh in 1971 when people had started moving to India due to genocide. <g data-gr-id="40">Danger</g> to India by external factors ... I am not going into details... but it is permutation and combination of various factors," he said.
He identified <g data-gr-id="38">cyber crime</g> as a new challenge for defence forces. "If there is a cyber attack or cyber terrorism then there can be a threat to border or it might be converted into a warfare," he said.
He, however, ruled out any security threat due to hacking of defence websites as all vital information
was cloud-based and protected against such intrusion. Parrikar termed counterfeit currency problem or "economic terrorism" as more dangerous than cyber attacks.
OROP: Ex-servicemen hold nationwide protests
Upset over the delay in the implementation of the 'One Rank, One Pension' policy, ex-servicemen on Sunday held protests across the country, including in the national capital, demanding its immediate introduction. The former soldiers have threatened to go <g data-gr-id="77">an</g> a relay hunger strike from tomorrow. The protest comes after talks -- both formal and back- channel -- with the government failed as the ex-servicemen were not given a specific timeline for the implementation of the long-pending OROP.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured us that it will be implemented, but it has been one year," said Col. (<g data-gr-id="78">retd</g>) Anil Kaul, the media advisor to Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM). Maj. Gen. (<g data-gr-id="79">retd</g>) Satbir Singh, <g data-gr-id="81">vice-chairman</g> of IESM, told the media that the protests will continue till the time OROP is not implemented. The ex-servicemen maintained that they were not against any government but are protesting to get their long-pending dues. They also said that they have sought an appointment with the President.
Next Story
