Ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Garehwal, who was protesting at Jantar Mantar, committed suicide by consuming poison allegedly over the One Rank One Pension (OROP) issue.
The former Indian Army personnel reportedly took this drastic step to support OROP and highlight the government’s inaction over the issue.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has asked the Department of ex-servicemen welfare to check the records and give details of Garehwal.
Garehwal wrote a letter addressed to Parrikar two days before committing suicide, pleading the government to pay heed to their demands. However, he was not able to deliver the letter to Parrikar.
In the letter, he lamented that the soldiers still haven’t gotten the pay hike promised to them.
There is a handwritten note at the bottom of the letter, which Garehwal had written to Parrikar on 31 October. The handwritten note reads: “I am laying down my life for my motherland and other brave soldiers.”
Leader of the OROP movement, Major General Satbir Singh, told The Quint that they are trying to ascertain who the veteran is and if he was related to their movement.
Police said he, along with some other ex-servicemen, was in the process of submitting a memorandum to the Defence Ministry over the issue of OROP, reported PTI.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to condemn the situation and targeted the Centre saying it’s unfortunate that the soldiers have to fight within the country as well for their rights.
Kejriwal will visit Garehwal’s family in Haryana to offer his condolences.
Veteran’s kin blamed the Modi government and his son said:
He called us and informed that he is committing suicide as the government has failed to fulfill their demands related to OROP.
(With inputs from ANI, CNN News18 and PTI)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)