May 31, 2015 09:51 IST
New Delhi: In the wake of growing displeasure
among ex-servicemen over the delay in implementation of ‘One Rank, One Pension’
(OROP), Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated his pre-poll promise
and said his government is in “constant” talks with armed forces and trying to
arrive at a decision agreeable to all stakeholders concerned.
“No one
should have any doubts about OROP's implementation. But there are varied
versions about what the definition of OROP should be. Would it be proper for me
to take a decision without keeping the armed forces personnel in the loop? So
we are trying to arrive at a please-all decision,” Modi told English
daily The Tribune in an interview.
A similar statement has been made
today by Defence Minister Manohar
Parrikar who said the OROP is “on its way” but refused to
specify a date for its implementation. “I cannot give you a specific time for
implementation of the OROP as it involves various departments but it is on its
way,” he added.
On Thursday, two war veterans – Wing
Commander (Retd) K V Bopardikar and Wing Commander (retired) SD Karnik –
declined to be felicitated by the Defence minister at an event in Pune in
protest against the delay in implementation of OROP scheme. The resentment of
the ex-servicemen has gone so deep that they have now decided to sit on hunger
strikes and hold rallies despite accepting that boycotts, fasting and dharnas do not suit their status of the most disciplined citizens
of the country.
Reacting to Modi’s comments, Major General Satbir Singh
(retired), who is spearheading the campaign for the implementation of OROP
under the banner of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), asked what the prime
minister was doing for the last 12 months. He said he is surprised to know that
there are different definitions of the OROP. “There is only one definition of
OROP that was given by a Committee of Secretaries headed by the Cabinet
Secretary constituted by the Manmohan
Singh government. The same definition was adopted by Parliament
and the President had described it as an urgent need. The same definition was
also accepted by the incumbent government. If the prime minister was not clear about it,
why did he assure us that the scheme will be implemented if his party comes to
power,” he told Firstpost.
He described the non-implementation of the scheme as “breach of
trust” and a “betrayal” to 6.45 lakh widows of war heroes, 24 lakh
ex-servicemen and 15 lakh serving servicemen. He said a massive protest would
be launched soon throughout the country against the “betrayal”. “We will hold a
massive protest at Jantar Mantar 14 June and will sit on hunger strike from 15
June. Similar protest will be launched across the country…The Congress and the
BJP both promised to implement One Rank, One Pension. Twelve months have been
passed since the new government took charge, but the scheme is yet to turn into
a reality.
From 9 December to 14
April, we met the Defence Minister four times. In every meeting, he assured
that it will be implemented in a week or fortnight”. Asked why the government
is not being able to implement OROP despite claiming that it is committed to
it, Singh said it is because the “lack of will and determination”.
“PPOS (Pension Pay Orders) are available. All service
headquarters and the core group they had formed on 26 February have jointly
prepared a government notification. Despite this, they say there is a
difference. For me, it is an excuse. If the government is unable to come up
with the notification on the ground of ‘differences’, give us PPO of 1 April
2014 and we will prepare a notification for it which will be accepted to
everyone in a week. The issue is being delayed because of lack of will and
determination.”
Asked if the project is being delayed because of the lack of
fund, he said, “Money to the tune of Rs 8,300 crore is already sanctioned.
There are 25 lakh retired soldiers and the amount is enough to fulfil the
33-year-old demand.” “All proposals have been sent to the Ministry of Finance
but they were returned five times.
Why? We the ex-servicemen supported him and played an important
role in bringing the BJP in power. Our serving Chief of Army Staff has recently
promised at Jhajjar in Haryana that it will be implemented till April 30. He
must have made said it after consulting the government. Now, why is he being
embarrassed?” he asked.
A 1971 war veteran, Karnik says, “Our protest is not meant to
get monetary profit only. It matters much because of the issue of izzat
(honour). We are not getting any support from the government since 1973. All
governments are short-changing us. This is bringing down the morale of the
armed forces.”
He alleged that the “status of armed services people has been
lowered”. “An inspector of police is a Class One officer, whereas, a junior
commissioned officer belongs to Class Two. An OSD (Officer on Special Duty)
earns more than a major who is supposed to be under him in an ammunition
factory or elsewhere. Therefore, the izzat has got dented very badly,” he told
Firstpost.
Taking about the reasons behind the delay in the implementation
of OROP, he added, “According to my understanding and analysis, our political
leaders follow the policy of NATO (not act, talk only) when it comes to paying
heed to the demands of the armed forces.”
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The Vir Chakra recipient admitted that he did not feel good when
he refused to attend the facilitation ceremony. “Yes, I felt bad when I did not
attend the function. By not attending, I gave out an insult and there is no
doubt about it. But it was a deliberation for One Rank, One Pension. They (the
government) did not involve any uniformed man in the deliberations. Our papers
were taken but were kept out of deliberations. This led us to the suspicion
among us that some hanky-panky is going on. I am more than sure that there are
moves to short-change war veterans. Even if they announce OROP, I am sure we
will be short-changed.”
General (retired) GD Bakshi said he is also unable to understand
the reason behind the non-fulfilment promise of the promise so far made by Modi
during his pre-poll speeches. “I fail to understand why so many hurdles are
coming in the way of the implementation of OROP even after one year of the new
government assumed office,” he told Firstpost.
When asked why there is a delay in the implementation of the
OROP, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said, “The Defence Minister and the
Finance Minister have discussed the matter. This is not an issue which is
pending for a week or two. It has been pending for 33 years. There is an apex
court judgement which was pronounced in 2009 but was not implemented by
previous government for five years. There was absolutely no movement before our
government came to office. There was an election ploy by the Congress party in
February 2014 when it made an announcement in this regard. The real work on
‘One Rank, One Pension’ scheme actually begun only when our government assumed
office. This has been going on and it is a matter of time. It is a commitment
of our government, which will be fulfilled.”
“It is not a simple issue that can be sorted in a week or two. It
is very complex. The Defence Minister has stated very recently that he has made
final recommendation, which has been sent to the Finance Ministry. The finance
minister has also said that the government is committed to give whatever it
takes. There has been a wild estimate about the amount of money required to
fund this project. But the government is committed to implementing it at the
earliest.”
He said the BJP holds the veterans in great esteem but it
disheartens the party and its leadership when its programme is boycotted.
(Source- First
post)
Sir it does not take one year to understand and study the definition of orop. it is final which was placed on parliament floor. Now today PM modi some more time to go through the complexity of definition. Where from this question arises. Certainly it is from FM who has mis briefed the PM. So actual cause is FM who has misguided the PM and mislplayed with veterans. PM should immdly remove him from PM post.It is true that those leader who last loksabha elecrion they have been given such important portfilo in cabinet. So this is the fate of country and ex servicemen.
ReplyDeleteThe FM is the culprit for non implementation of OROP. He is an anti soldier and anti ESM. When he was in Defence ministry he never visit any forward area posts or units. He has been defeated by an ex servicemen in the last long sabha election. It seems that his family have no serving/ ex soldiers. His attitude towards the visiting IESM for discussion regarding OROP was negative and no fruitful reply given by him. Now the present DM is telling different statements in each press conference/ interviews/meetings and give different time frame for implementation of OROP. PM once at Kargil during last Depawali was announced that 'the OROP has already been implemented'. Now he telling different things that is not understood by us. In every interview by the press these politicians gives statements which are entirely different and not matching each other and confusing the esm community. Our ex generals who are enjoying key appointment in the ministry and elsewhere are mum about OROP because they are well settled. Nobody is aware of the poor jawans(OR) and widows who are getting very small amount of pension compared with others. The value of slogan "JAI JAWAN - JAI KISAN" should be reviewed.
ReplyDeleteHere PM NAMO is also proved a great lier. He had told to defence personals that orop is alrealy implemented when he had visited to siachin on last Dipawali. Where is that implementation? Today he told during MAN KI BAAT that no time frame is set for orop. His government is still having 4 yrs in the office which indicates that just before 2019 general election a lumsump amount will be shown in the budzat but nothing will be there in black and white as congress has also done before election.
ReplyDeleteNAMO too is loosing his credibility dremedously. It is sure in next any election BJP is going to loose election badly. A lier can cheat only once.
बात साफ हे अगले चुनाव तक कुछ नही होगा
ReplyDeleteअब बात साफ हे पूरण बहुमत की सरकार तानाशा होगी
As long as the time of orop scheme increased benefit to BJP decreased and shall be washed by Nirma Detergent Powder in 2019.
ReplyDelete