Centre’s OROP scheme ‘disabled’: Gen Satbir

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 19

Maj Gen (retd) Satbir Singh, founder president of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) movement, today said the OROP being given to ex-servicemen by the Central government at present was ‘disabled OROP’.

He was addressing ex-servicemen at a workshop organised by the Uttarakhand Ex-Servicemen League here today. Maj Gen Satbir Singh criticised the Central Government of dishonouring ex-servicemen by denying them OROP. “The government has just increased the pension of ex-servicemen and is portraying it as implementation of the OROP, which is wrong,” he alleged.

He said the Centre had no right to portray itself as well wisher of the ex-servicemen when the latter have been denied the OROP. It was strange that the BJP was even describing the present OROP as the Central Government’s biggest achievement.

Maj Gen Satbir called upon ex-servicemen to stand united to fight for their rights. “You are a big political force and can tilt the scale in Uttarkhand and Punjab where you are in large numbers. Only unity can ensure justice to ex-servicemen in the country,” he added.

Another OROP movement leader, Group Captain PK Gandhi (retd), said ex-servicemen were instrumental in the BJP coming to power at the Centre and they also have the power to dislodge it.

He said Rajya Sabha member and eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani had extended his support to the OROP movement. Ex-servicemen would be holding rallies in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab and would appeal to their colleagues to vote for candidates who work in their favour. Political parties had always befooled ex-servicemen and time had come for the ex-servicemen to stand together and play a decisive role in the polls, PK Gandhi added.

Lt Gen GS Negi (retd) and Lt Col SC Sharma (retd) also attended the workshop.