OROP: Anna Hazare threatens fast unto death from October 2 in Delhi

Anna Hazare also announced that in case the union government does not implement OROP, he would sit on a fast unto death in New Delhi’s Ramlila Ground from October 2.

SOCIAL activist Anna Hazare has urged the union government to accept the demand of One Rank One Pension (OROP) raised by ex-servicemen. Addressing a public gathering of ex-servicemen at Rohtak on Sunday, Hazare threatened to sit on a fast unto death from October 2 if the government failed to implement OROP by then. 

Anna Hazare at ex-servicemen's OROP rally of at Rohtak 

“It is not good to see that soldiers of this country are on the roads to seek approval of their legitimate demands. A soldier takes a pledge to save the honour of his nation till his last breath and that’s what Indian soldiers had been doing for all these years. Even after retirement, a soldier is always available to protect his country. Today, a large number of all such soldiers, who spent their entire life protecting the interests of their nation are out on the roads, waiting for the government to accept their demand of One Rank One Pension. The union government should accept their demand without even wasting a minute,” the social activist said while addressing the gathering.

Anna Hazare also announced that in case the union government does not implement OROP, he would sit on a fast unto death in New Delhi’s Ramlila Ground from Oct 2.

According to the spokesperson of the ex-servicemen association, Col. RS Malik (retd.), six retired Lt. Generals, two retired Major Generals, 10 retired Brigadiers, 150 retired Colonels, 50 retired Majors and over 500 retired JCOs participated in the gathering.

“We have suffered a lot because of this delay. We shall not step back now. If the government fails to accept our demand, the ex-servicemen of the entire country will boycott all government functions. The ex-servicemen will not participate in the 1965 golden jubilee function, we will also not attend Independence Day celebrations on August 15. We will continue our protest rallies in various parts of Haryana and finally reach New Delhi’s Ramlila Ground on October 2 where we will participate in a fast unto death with Anna Hazare,” said Col. RS Malik (retd.).

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