NEW DELHI/JAIPUR : Hundreds of ex-servicemen took to the streets today across the country protesting delay in the implementation of the ‘One Rank, One Pension'(OROP) policy, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi forthwith fulfil his promise made a year back on it.
The former soldiers have threatened to go on a relay hunger strike from tomorrow and also seek the intervention of President Pranab Mukherjee.
The protests 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.
In Jaipur, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today sought to assuage their concerns, saying the promises made will be kept and that they should be “patient”.
“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.
Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the scheme which envisages uniform pension for the defence personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement. (AGENCIES)
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