Delay on OROP: Two army veterans on fast-unto-death to protest

“We served the country in protecting it and now we have become security threat”, said a protesting army veteran.

“We have been protesting for 62 days, why didn’t he come earlier?”

“A solution has to be found for an issue which has been lingering for 20-25 years”.

“The way the talks are going on I am expecting something positive”, he further said.

The AAP legislator from Bijwasan constituency, Sehrawat also said he will “actively” participate in a dharna called by ex-servicemen over the OROP demand as no firm time-frame has been declared for its implementation. But in the matter was not moved forward and was stuck in the last minute.

It will be a “black Independence Day as they as they have tried to curb our independence”, said group captain V K Gandhi (retired), adding, “The way the police have acted against us just a day before Independence day it is totally unjustified”.

“Am deeply disappointed and pretty disgusted that yet again we’ve only paid lip service to our veterans”. The MPs, MLAs and government servants manage to get their salaries increased, but the government, instead of considering the demands of ex-servicemen who face bullets in extreme weather conditions, is being evasive on the issue, the Sena said.

“During 2014 election marketing campaign, the Prime Minister had promised to implement OROP after assuming energy, so now he should fulfil his promise”, Rahul stated. What talks, when and how long. Expectations were high from NDA-2 when former army chief General VK Singh and Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were given cabinet berths.

The home ministry intervened after an uproar and told the ex-servicemen that they would not be asked to leave the protest venue.

Retired naval-officer-turned-writer Vikram Waman Karve also took to Twitter and said: “What is surprising is that national party like BJP has alienated military veterans due to bungling of #OROP issue”. Well I am surprised at the attitude of the government as a whole towards the most reliable and nationalistic resource of the nation that never fails the nation. “He knows I can be trusted but I am not sure about him now”.

There are around 24 lakh retired servicemen in the country, and around 6.5 lakh widows who will benefit from the implementation of OROP.

Currently, defence personnel draw 50 per cent of their last drawn salary as pension. OROP seeks parity in pension for those retiring in the same rank and duration of service, irrespective of the time of retirement.

The PM is talking about Team India and are not defencemen part of that team.

He said there was no allegation of corruption against his government since he took office in May previous year. “The promises are hollow”.