Col J P Singh, Retd
Modi led Govt’s failure to implement long standing armed forces demand for ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) in its first year of rule has fanned deep resentment among ex-servicemen. Various ex-servicemen groups were hoping that the Prime Minister will announce its implementation on 25th May during a rally at Mathura to mark his govt’s first year in office. Since that did not happen, the veterans have embarked on a warpath by deciding to boycott official functions, hold rallies and go on hunger strikes to mark their protest for the deceit and delay. Modi Govt perhaps is under the erroneous impression that the military pensioners can be ignored with impunity being very less as vote bank. On 28th May 2015, a 1971 war hero declined to attend a function in Pune where he was to be felicitated by Raksha Mantri (RM) Manohar Parrikar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Davendra Fadnavis for his gallantry in 1971 war. He declined the invitation to mark his protest as there was “no action, talk only” on OROP, he said justifying his boycott. Wg Cdr S D Karnik VrC became sought after media hero overnight and a centre of attraction for the ex-servicemen to raise their voice against Govt apathy. Following this event Maj Gen Satbir Singh, Chairman Indian Ex-servicemen Movement said, “We will do all we can to lodge our protests over non-implementation of OROP despite PM’s and RM’s assurances. We are planning to hold a big rally in Delhi on June 14 followed by hunger strikes”. A loud shout is said to cause an avalanche in the mountains causing havoc in the Valleys. Wg Cdr Karnik’s protest and Gen Satbir’s loud shout in the media thereafter have shaken the earth under the feet of the Govt and set the avalanche in motion which has the potential of causing an unprecedented erosion in the credibility of Mr. Parrikar and popularity of Mr. Modi. It may sound hypocritical but the very next day the entire top military brass was on the media expressing anguish and exposing deceit. More and more pro veterans and anti Govt statements started coming out from politicians, intelligentsia and civil society. Opposition called it deceit of politics which compelled premier Modi to defend his Govt’s delay in implementing OROP.
In ‘Man Ki Baat’ on 31st May 2015, Prime Minister told ex-servicemen that OROP is a complicated issue but his Govt remains committed to its implementation. He said that four decades of its demand has tangled it beyond his comprehension. He blamed previous Govts to have cheated the veterans and made the issue complicated. Issues tangled by the time factor take longer time for untangling them was his ‘Man Ki Baat’. He sought little more time after 40 long years wait. Unexpected flip-flop from the articulate premier has demolished veterans hope despite his reassurances and plea for patience.
RM has been telling the veterans off late that all the complications have been resolved, modalities of payment and subsequent increments worked out, all calculations completed, financial requirement of Rs 8,300 crores already met and the final announcement was in the pipeline. Replying to my question at Jammu on 24 May 2015, Manohar Parrikar said that OROP is already a done thing awaiting announcement by the Prime Minister on an appropriate occasion. He also said that when he took over as RM, no one could explain him what the OROP was. Hence he took extra interest, firstly, in understanding it, then formatting it and finally in clearing it. We expected announcement by Prime Minister next day in Mathura. Since that did not happen despite assurances, deceit was the obvious inference inviting hue and cry.
Prime Minister’s fears in untangling the complicacies of OROP is worrying. When PM tells the nation that it is very difficult task and blames previous Govts, I see two hidden messages from it. Firstly, he is serious about implementing it and may take the credit by announcing it on 15 August from Red Fort where lots of serving and ex-servicemen including his colleagues Gen V K Singh and Col Harshvardhan Rathore would be present besides military attaches, galaxy of politicians, bureaucrats and diplomats. Or, it is too costly to be implemented any time in future. None of the two is crystal clear. It could be either. Whatever be the outcome, Modi’s statement is undoubtedly a perpetration of emotional violence on the serving and ex-servicemen mind. Yoga day seems more important to his Govt than OROP.
There is a group of people who have stakes in perpetuating emotional violence on the soldiers. They may prevail over the Prime Minister and have it passed on to 7th pay commission on the plea that the enormous rise in pension may upset 7th pay commission award and the defence budget. Apathy of 4th and 6th pay commissions would never be forgotten by the soldiers. It was by virtue of agitations, petitions, medal surrenders and tough stand taken by Chiefs and Judiciary that some of the anomalies of 4th and 6th pay commissions were removed. If OROP goes to 7th pay commission god save the veterans. Dr. Manmohan Singh had announced that henceforth military will have its own pay commission which he backed out later under bureaucratic pressure. No justification was given for reversal of decision. Even the plea that a military member be incorporated in the pay panel was summarily turned down. This dismal way of treating the soldiers has serious repercussions. Seeing discriminations with their forefathers, peers and serving soldiers, youth can shun the armed forces as choice of job. The unhappy prospect of youths will one day turn disastrous for the nation.
There is a political-bureaucratic nexus that has influenced successive Govts in the past not to empower military. The motive for them is to denigrate armed forces. They had been convincing Pt Nehru and Indira Gandhi that armed forces are power hungry and could over throw democratically elected Govts. They are the ones who have used all the years and opportunities to scare the politicians, secure personal aggrandizement, to promote corruption, nepotism and short sighted policies instead of building the nation. They make money out of everything including purchase of weapons to fight terrorism. Hence they have no love lost for the nation, least for the military or OROP. Will they let OROP be implemented? The spoilers are well known. Unfortunately Prime Minister is listening to them.
OROP is aimed at ensuring that the retired soldiers of the same rank and same length of service receive the same pension, irrespective of date of their retirement. Currently pre 2006 pensioners get much less pension not only from their counterparts but from their junior ranks as well. I request the Prime Minister to ponder how complicated it is for the soldier to advance against the shower of bullets and die an untimely death. He does it instantaneously. If an officer / a jawan can take a quick decision between life and death, can’t the Govt take a quick decision on OROP as it invariably does every year for enhancement of legislators pay and pensions irrespective of time period they remain legislators.
I think Prime Minister needs to be told the following facts about pay and pensions of the soldiers:- (i) that prior to 3rd pay commission soldiers were getting 75 % of the last pay drawn as pension. Bringing it at par with civilians raised the demand for OROP. (ii) date of retirement and length of service determine their pension; both are much earlier than their civilian counterparts. (iii) with each pay commission, soldiers who retire early receive lesser pension than those who retire later in the same rank with same length of service. (iv) a soldier faces 2 to 3 pay commissions whereas civilians face 4 to 5; hence soldiers face the disparity every 10th year. (v) overall, Sepoys lose 50 % of their emoluments because they retire early, JCOs lose 12 to 16 and officers lose 6 to 4 years emoluments due to service conditions, the cumulative loss of which works out to be 50 to 60 lac upto the age of 80 / 85.
Ironically the Govt does not understand the logic of the struggle. It is not only for money per-se, it is a recognition of soldiers sacrifices, monetary loss, izzat and elan. If Modi Govt can’t solve the riddle of OROP, revert us back to 75 % of last pay as pension rather than flip-flop. This is Prime Ministers last litmus test to prove his pro armed forces stance.
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