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OROP talks break down, Veterans to boycott 1965 war events

By FnF Desk | PUBLISHED: 28, Aug 2015, 16:29 pm IST | UPDATED: 31, Aug 2015, 14:09 pm IST

OROP talks break down, Veterans to boycott 1965 war events

New Delhi: Retired military personnel upset by the lack of a breakthrough on the issue of one rank one pension (OROP) have decided to boycott the government's celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of India's 1965 war with Pakistan.

Talks between the veterans and the government ended inconclusively on Thursday night, and a group of former military personnel walked out of a meeting held to decide a new pension package.

Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh met representatives of the veterans at his South Block office on Thursday but there was "no forward movement", they later said.

The government’s celebrations began on Friday with President Pranab Mukherjee, the supreme commander of the armed forces, paying tribute to fallen soldiers at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, a memorial at India Gate in central Delhi.

Veterans of the 1965 war said they would gather at Jantar Mantar to observe the golden jubilee and boycott the official function because the government has not yet implemented OROP.

They invited former military personnel and families of those who died in the 1965 war to gather at Jantar Mantar at noon on Friday.

The veterans have been protesting for 75 days to push their demand for implementing OROP.

Representatives of the veterans said they will not accept the government's proposal to increase pensions every five years. The government appears unwilling to buckle under pressure from the veterans and defence minister Manohar Parrikar said on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make an announcement about OROP at the right time.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned about OROP in his speech on August 15. He will take a decision and will announce as and when time comes," Parrikar told reporters in Kutch.

Talks between the government and veterans were veering towards closure with both sides having worked out a compromise formula on the base year and rollout date for OROP.

What remained to be sorted out is whether pension hikes are to be effected on a yearly basis as demanded by the veterans, or every five years as suggested by the government.
“We are firm on our stand that the base year has to be 2013-14 and that payment should begin from April 1, 2014. OROP should not be left to the 7th Pay Commission and the definition has to be the same as accepted by the Parliament," said Maj Gen (retired) Satbir Singh, chairman of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement.

The government is also reportedly upset that more veterans are joining the protest at Jantar Mantar. Four veterans on an indefinite hunger strike have been hospitalised so far, including two on Thursday. The government is keen that the veterans discontinue their hunger strike before the OROP settlement is unveiled.

The OROP scheme will ensure the same pension is paid to veteran of the same rank, regardless of when they retired. It is expected to benefit nearly 3 million defence pensioners and 600,000 widows.

All personnel who retired before 2006, the year the 6th pay panel’s report became effective, receive smaller pensions than their counterparts and their juniors. A major general who retired in 1995, for instance, draws a basic pension of Rs 30,350 but an officer retiring in the same rank after 2006 gets Rs 38,500.

Decorated veterans have in the past returned medals and signed petitions in blood to draw the government’s attention to the issue.