New Delhi: Former Army chief and Union Minister Gen (Retd) V K Singh has been appointed as a mediator between government and protesting ex-servicemen over ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme, the agitators said today as they decided to hold an ‘Aakrosh’ rally at Jantar Mantar on December 13.

As their protest entered 168th today, the war veterans are also contemplating on whether to exercise legal option to fight the government on the OROP issue.

The protesting veterans claimed that they met with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar last night and together they have decided to appoint Gen (Retd) V K Singh as a mediator.

Singh, the Minister of State for External Affairs, has been involved in back-channel negotiations on the contentious issue earlier also.

“The satyagrah has been confronted with two major challenges. These are in the form of, firstly the government notification of November 8 on OROP, and secondly the effect of the recommendations of the 7CPC (Central Pay Commission) if accepted in toto by the government,” the protesting veterans said in a statement.

Our focus and aim remains on the implementation of the OROP award without dilution and to that extent we will continue to engage with the GoI for justice, they said.

The statement added that while they appreciate the overcoming of the huddle of acceptance of OROP by the government of the day, the final thanksgiving will have to wait till the same hurdle is cleared in a clean jump rather than the “present pitfalls of a combine of created problems -referral to judicial commission – time delays- killing the very soul of OROP”.

It added that a rally would be held on December 13. A press conference is also likely to be held on December 7 which could have former BJP leader and senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani coming out in their support.

PTI

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Let veterans prove OROP stir is not politically motivated, says Parrikar

Arakkonam (TN): Terming the attempts by war veterans to burn medals as an insult to the nation and armed forces, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said it was for protesting ex-service personnel to prove there was no political motive behind the OROP stir.

“If I say something, it will become an allegation. Let them prove that it is not political,” he told reporters in Arakkonam when asked if he saw a political link to continuing agitation despite the government’s response and notification on one rank, one pension (OROP) scheme.

“Medals are a recognition of the nation for the sacrifice done by the armed forces,” he said in reply to another query. “Burning and returning them is an insult to the nation and the defence forces,” Parrikar said.

The minister’s comments come in the wake of a section of the ex-service personnel expressing dissatisfaction on the ground that the OROP notification has not fully met their demands.

The government had on Saturday formally notified the OROP scheme for over 24 lakh ex-servicemen and six lakh war widows in the country.

“Medals are a recognition of bravery, for the service to the nation. It has nothing to do with service conditions whereas OROP is about service conditions. It does not say you are entitled for medals, it talks about service conditions like your pay and entitlement,” Parrikar said.

On the issue of grievances of protesting ex-servicemen, he said, “Let them put the demands before the judicial committee, they will address it.”

He said implementing OROP was BJP’s electoral promise and it had been fulfilled.

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He termed one rank, one pension (OROP) decision as his biggest achievement in the last one year and said it was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government that had finalised the measure.

“This is unlike a soldier. Whoever are still protesting despite the announcement are being misguided,” he said

Parrikar said that if there are any grievances, the ex-servicemen can present their case to the judicial commission that will be set up for this purpose

He had on Monday said that everyone has a right to make a demand in democracy but not all demands can be fulfilled

The government had on Saturday formally notified the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for over 24 lakh ex-servicemen and six lakh war widows in the country. The notification is more or less in line with what Parrikar had announced on September 5

However, it has dropped the contentious proposal to exclude ex-servicemen who had sought premature retirement from the ambit of OROP. But the armed forces personnel who opt to get discharged on their request would henceforth not get OROP benefits

“It will be effective prospectively,” according to the notification.

The notification does not include the demands for an annual equalisation of revised pension, for pegging the pension to the maximum of the current pensioners, and for appointing an expert commission with serving military personnel and ex-servicemen representatives

Ex-servicemen who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi since June, have rejected the notification.
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Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the official notification for OROP scheme will be issued before Diwali.

New Delhi: The official notification for One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme will be issued before Diwali, defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said.

The announcement comes on a day when protesting ex- servicemen decided to step up their protests and return their medals across the country starting 9 November.

“As you are aware, it will be issued before Diwali,” Parrikar told reporters in New Delhi in reply to a question when the official notification on OROP will come out.

The government had on 5 September announced the OROP scheme for the veterans but an official notification was awaited.

The government has cited the Model Code of Conduct for the Bihar polls as the reason behind the delay. Even after government had announced OROP scheme, a section of the veterans had continued their protest citing seven lacunae, including annual equalisation, 2013-14 as the base year among others.

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Latest news on OROP – Delegates of NeXCC discussing the OROP issue with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

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