Ex-servicemen protesting for One Rank One Pension at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (Press Trust of India photo)
The ex-servicemen would be taking out a rally at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on October 31 to press for their demands regarding the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme.
Mumbai convener of the Indian Ex-servicemen movement (IESM) Col Harbhajnik Singh (Retd) said the grievance over OROP dates back to 1973 when earlier OROP scheme was withdrawn by the Centre.
"Narendra Modi had declared in election campaign at Rewari, Haryana, on September 15, 2013 that his government would implement OROP within 100 days of coming to power. However, the announcement of OROP on September 5, 2015, was an apology for OROP," Col Singh said.
"Rallies are being held across the country to make people aware of the machinations of the babus and netas who have relentlessly denied OROP to veterans after withdrawing it in 1973 within 18 months of the 1971 war victory," he said.
IESM convener in Mumbai, Commander SH Kalawat (Retd) and Commodore RPS Ravi, VSM, Retd, also briefed the media on the continued OROP agitation.
While Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said that OROP would be implemented soon after the Bihar elections, the ex-servicemen are carrying out a relay hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, saying that the announcement made by Mr Parrikar on September 5 regarding the implementation of OROP had several shortcomings.