'We are distressed Ex-service chiefs write to PM Modi on OROP

New Delhi (Agency) : Ten former service chiefs, which includes, seven former Army chiefs — General VN Sharma, General Shankar Roy Choudhary, General S Padmanabhan, General NC Vij, General JJ Singh, General Deepak Kapoor and General Bikram Singh, two former Air Force chiefs — Air Chief Marshal NC Suri and Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, and former Naval Chief Admiral Madhvendra Singh, in an open letter to the Prime Minister have slammed the government for the delay in implementing the One Rank One Pension scheme.NDTV, which has access to the letter, in its report said that the high-handedness of the police against the protesting veteran officers on the eve of Independence Day was distressing."We, the Former Chiefs of the three Defence Services are deeply perturbed and distressed by the high-handed treatment of our veterans on 14 August 2015 at Jantar Mantar. These veterans have been on a peaceful demonstration at this venue and have been trying to make the Government hear their voice since 12 June 2015. We unequivocally condemn the action by the Police and urge the Government to investigate and take immediate action."Former Navy chief Admiral Madhvendera Singh and former Air Force chiefs N C Suri and S P Tyagi were also signatories to the letter.Representational image. Naresh Sharma/FirstpostRepresentational image. Naresh Sharma/Firstpost
"We have full faith in our political leadership but their inability to clinch the issue leaves us dismayed. We stand  steadfastly by the side of our colleagues and fully support  their just cause," the letter said talking about the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar by the ex-servicemen community. The letter said that their silence so far was to observe propriety."As much as the ORP, the respect and dignity of the soldier is at stake here and let it be known that we have extreme concern for the



veterans' long pending demands. "We would strongly urge the Government to settle this issue expeditiously and in an urgent time frame. Any further delays in our considered view will be at the cost of damaging the pride of veterans and lowering the morale of armed forces. The nation can ill afford such an imbroglio," the letter said.
The former Service chiefs said there is only one definition of OROP accepted by Parliament and also by the Defence Minister in the presence of the veterans."This is 'uniform pension to be paid to the Armed Forces retiring in the same rank with same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement'. Simultaneously, 'Annual Review System' would be required to be put in place for equalization of pension of the past and current retirees," it said.The former service chiefs, further in the letter, said that they did not feel the need to address the PM over the issue as "we had full faith in the announcements made by our senior political leadership from time to time". Moreover, the service chiefs were miffed that the PM did not specify a date for the implementation of OROP on 15 August.In his Independence Day speech on Saturday, Modi did not specify a timeline for the implementation of OROP and only said that talks were in the final stages.Meanwhile, a fast-unto-death was launched by two of the protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday demanding early implementation of the long-pending scheme, PTI reported."Col Pushpender Singh (Retd) and Haviladar Major Singh (Retd) have undertaken fast unto death from today," Col Anil Kaul (Retd), media advisor to the United Front of Ex-Servicemen Movement, said as the agitation at Jantar Mantar in Delhi entered the 64th day on Monday.There are around 24 lakh retired servicemen in India and around 6.5 lakh widows who will benefit when OROP is implemented.