OROP: Veterans to Start Returning Medals Today on ‘Kaali Diwali’

OROP: Army veterans to return their medals to protest implemented scheme, saying their demands have not been met.

Social activist Nafisa Ali showing her support to ex-servicemen agitating for OROP at Jantar Mantar. (Photo: PTI)

War veterans will return their medals to protest the government notification on the implementation of ‘one rank, one pension’, which they have rejected. This is also a response to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s comment that not all their demands could be met.

We have one and only demand and that is OROP. It was the government who inserted provisions that has made the issue complicated. We want OROP as per the definition. No junior should get more pension than his senior. In protest against the government notification, we will start returning our medals from tomorrow. On November 10-11, ex-servicemen across the country will start returning their medals. They have already informed the District Magistrates about this. 

<b>Group Captain VK Gandhi, General Secretary, Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM)</b>

The government had on Saturday formally notified the OROP scheme for the over 24 lakh ex-servicemen and six lakh war widows in the country. The scheme was subsequently rejected by the protesting ex-servicemen. Parrikar said that “maximum” demands of the veterans have been fulfilled and that the judicial commission to be set up by the government will look into their “problems”.

In Delhi, the medals will be returned outside Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Gandhi said, adding that populous places were selected for the purpose of creating awareness about OROP. The protesting ex-servicemen also met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and briefed him about the OROP notification.

He called us today and asked us to brief him about the government notification. He has said that in coming days he will take up the issue, address press conference and also visit the protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar.

<b>Group Captain VK Gandhi, General Secretary, Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM)</b>

(With inputs from PTI)