A Fervant Appeal and Call to Ex-Soldiers for " Dilli Challo" for One Rank One Pension

Ex-Servicemen’s “Dilli Chalo” Call For Maha Sangram Rally On 14 June For OROP.

Representatives of various Ex-Servicemen’s organisations met on 11 June at Chandigarh under the Chairmanship of Col Harsharan Singh (Retd) , President RRD to deliberate on the issue of One Rank One Pension(OROP) . While briefing the media, Brig Harwant Singh (Retd), President the All India Defence Brotherhood (AIBD) and Member Governing Body of IESM, said that despite repeated promises and assurances given by no less a person than the Prime Minister himself to implement the ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP), the Govt has failed to do so despite being in power for more than a year. What is most regrettable that, within a span of ONE WEEK last month, the Raksha Mantrti (RM), Finance Mantri (FM) and P M made contradictory and confusing statements. While the R.M. said that everything was tied up and that the file would be cleared by the FM “In a matter of days”, the FM contradicted him saying that the modalities were yet to be worked out. The P M’s statement on 30 May that there were number of definitions of the OROP, further confused the issue. 

The P.M. is TOTALLY WRONG. There is only one definition as given by the Parliamentary (Koshiyary) Committee, which is “One Rank One Pension (OROP) implies that uniform pension be paid to the Armed Forces Personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement; and, any future enhancement in the rates of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners”. Brig KS Kahlon (Retd), President of Punjab chapter of the All India Defence Brotherhood, stated that the said definition was arrived at after long interaction with concerned departments and hundreds of ESM associations, and was tabled in RS on 19 Dec 2011.

Based on the approved definition, the decision was taken in parliament by the UPA government on 17 Feb 2014 and Rs500 cr earmarked for O.R.O.P. Even the NDA govt made additional budgetary allocation of 1000cr. Now to say that there are number of definitions amounts to sacrilege and is an insult to the Parliament. The worst was the P M’s statement on 30 May that ,“his Govt is for five years” , implying that he would make the Ex- Servicemen wait for four more years for it. This is a cruel and shameful joke on the Ex-Servicemen. The PM now seems to be denying O.R.O.P. to the soldiers (term includes Sailors and Airmen) . The Ex-Servicemen feel betrayed and have been forced to resume the agitation.

32 organisations of the Ex-Servicemen unanimously decided at Delhi on 06 June to hold a MAHA SANGRAM RALLY on 14 June ’15 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to high light their betrayal by the govt. After the Rally, Relay Hunger Strike will be held w.e.f 15 June till the Government issues notification for OROP. Similar Maha Sangrarm rallies and relay hunger strikes will be held in state capitals and towns with large density of ESM. More Gallantry medals will be returned to the President of India.

Boycott

The Ex-Servicemen have already started boycotting govt functions. One such boycott was held in Pune wherein highly decorated gallantry awardees, Wing Commanders SD Karnik and KV Bopardikar, refused felicitation by the Defense Minister last month. On coming Independence Day (15 August), all govt functions, including the ‘At Home’ by the governors will be boycotted. During the next Republic Day (26 January 2016), no Ex-Servicemen’s contingent will take part in the parade. We will be boycotting the govt functions with a very heavy heart, but is there any option left in dealing with an ungrateful govt which reneges on its promises? All we want is a ‘Notification’ giving a FIRM date of implementation of O.R.O.P. without any dilution of the ‘Definition’. For that to happen, the Ex-Servicemen are requested to make Maha Sangram Rally on 14 June a great success.

SOLDIERS, ONWARDS TO “JANTAR MANTAR” Prominent Ex-Servicemen who attended the conference included, Brig Kiran Krishan, President of Haryana chapter of the AIDB and President Northern Haryana IESM , Col AS Sandhu , Gen Secy AIDB , Col C S Khera , Gen Secy , Ex-Servicemen’s Joint Action Front (Sanjha Morcha), Col SS Sohi, President Ex-Servicemen, Grievances Cell, Sgt JS Sura, Senior Vice President, AIDB, Capt NS Multani, President Mohali District, AIDB, amongst others.

An Appeal by

{BRIG HARWANT SINGH (RETD)}

President
The All India Defence Brotherhood (Regd)

HQ 54, Phase-7, Mohali (Punjab)