War veterans march on to Delhi for OROP

CHANDIGARH: More than 10,000 restless ex-servicemen from across the country will hold a massive protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on February 1 to pressurize the Centre into keeping its promise on the one rank one pension (OROP) demand.

During the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, both the BJP and Congress had pledged to implement the scheme. But the new government has not implemented it even after completing 200 days in office. Several ex-servicemen welfare organizations have come under the banner of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM) for the protest.
The veterans are also unhappy over defence minister Manohar Parrikar recent statement that he would try to implement 80% of OROP.
"It has to be implemented 100% as promised by the Prime Minister on a number of occasions. Any dilution will not be OROP," said Major General Satbir Singh (retd), chairman of IESM. He also wants a white paper from the Centre on OROP, given that Narender Modi had pledged to implement the scheme in his first election rally at Rewari in September 2013 after he was declared BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

(excerpts. the times of india)