EX-SERVICEMEN CHEATED ONCE AGAIN EX-SERVICEMEN DECIDE TO RESUME AGITATION FOR ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP)
Politics of the India is forcing normally well-disciplined and patient ex-servicemen to resume their agitation for OROP.
OROP
is more than 30 year old demand of ex-servicemen. This demand became
necessary when rank wise pension of ex-servicemen was discontinued and
armed forces of India were clubbed with central Government employees in
1973 and their pensions were reduced to bring at par with central
Government employees. Ex-servicemen had been demanding OROP since then.
Central Government did not agree to this most genuine demand despite
OROP being recommended by Parliamentary Committee on Defence on more
than one occasion.
Realizing
the neglect by Politicians/bureaucrat combine, Ex-servicemen decided to
form a movement to press home their demands. INDIAN EX-SERVICEMEN
MOVEMENT (IESM) was formed on 13 Aug 2008 to put across their demands
and agitate (much against their precedents and training) for acceptance
of their demands. In-fact politicians forced the normally peaceful and
silent force to agitate for their genuine demands because of their
willful neglect Ex-servicemen.
IESM
agitated for their demands, OROP being one of the most important
demands. IESM gave memorandums to Government listing four demands.
Government did not pay attention to these peaceful memorandums. IESM was
then forced to escalate the agitation and deposited 22000 Gallantry
medals to the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces the President of India
to convey their disappointment with ex-servicemen policies of the
Government. Memorandums signed in their own blood were given to
President of India, ex-servicemen sat on relay hunger strikes and
rallies were organized all over India to press for approval of OROP and
other demands. Agitation/Rallies were supported by more than 25000 live
members of IESM and lacs of associate members. More than 50 ESM
organizations joined hands with IESM and supported the rallies/agitation
planned by IESM.
UPA
2 Government finally approved OROP in the budget presented on 17 Feb 14
and allotted Rs 500/ crores for OROP. On 24 Feb 14 then Defence
Minister Sh AK Anthony presided over a meeting and ordered MOD and CDA
to issue instructions and ensure payment as per the approved definition
of OROP given below
“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. This
implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of the current
pensioners and the past pensioners, and also future enhancements in the
rate of pension, to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners”.
Despite clear instructions from Defence Minister, MOD did not issue notification for payment of OROP.
During
the election campaign, BJP leaders also promised OROP for ex-servicemen
as soon as BJP Government would be formed at center. It is very
important to note that BJP PM designate Sh Narendra Modi started his
campaign on 15 Sept 13 (Precisely one day after being nominated as PM
designate) in an ex-servicemen rally at Rewari. He roared to say that
Congress Government has done nothing for ex-servicemen. He further
questioned congress government and demanded a white paper on their
sincerity for grant of OROP. He had also assured ex-servicemen that had
BJP party been in Government, OROP would have been reality by now.
Ex-servicemen accepted these promises made by BJP politicians on their
face value and voted en-bloc for BJP.
Finance
cum Defence Minister Sh Arun Jaitley, in his first budget on 10 June,
put a stamp of approval on OROP (already approved by UPA Govt) for
ex-servicemen and allotted further Rs 1000/ crores for OROP, and
promised more funds as per requirement. Honorable Prime Minister has
confirmed at more than three occasions that OROP for ex-servicemen is
his commitment to Armed Forces and ex-servicemen and sufficient funds
have been catered for OROP in the budget for 2014-15.
Seven
months have passed since approval of OROP and notification of OROP has
still not been issued. Ex-servicemen are exasperated and losing
confidence in politicians/bureaucrats. OROP is commitment of Prime
Minister, approved by two Parliaments and agreed by all political
parties of India but it has still not become reality and is still a
mirage. Ex-servicemen are where they were! Most disappointing situation,
but true!Disappointed
with the step motherly treatment meted out to them by the Government,
IESM has decided to resume agitations and has planned to deposit more of
Gallantry medals to convey their disappointment with Government.
IESM plans to start relay hunger strike from 3rd December
14 at Jantar Mantar (start of Indo Pak war in 1971). A jatha of
ex-servicemen will sit on hunger strike every day till 16 December 14
(surrender of Pakistan army to Indian Army in 1971, glorious day in the
history of Indian Armed Forces). A mega rally will be organized on 7th December Sunday at Jantar Mantar. A tranche of medals will be returned to the President of India on 16 Dec.
IESM REQUESTS ALL EX-SERVICEMEN TO
- JOIN AGITATION FOR OROP IN LARGE NUMBERS.
- IESM STATE UNITS ARE URGED TO SEND JATHAS OF 15 MEN EVERYDAY FOR SITTING ON RELAY HUNGER STRIKE FROM 3 DEC TO 16 DEC 2014.
- ATTEND MEGA RALLY IN LARGE NUMBERS ON 7 DECEMBER 2014 SUNDAY. RALLY WILL START AT 1000H AT JANTAR MANTAR NEW DELHI
- RETURN THEIR GALLANTRY MEDALS TO BE DEPOSITED WITH THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA ON 16 DECEMBER FOR SAFE CUSTODY. Ex-servicemen are requested to resolve their local problems and join the agitation in VERY LARGE NUMBERS.
DEAR
EX-SERVICEMEN DELHI ELECTIONS ARE DUE SOON AND YOUR VOTE IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR ALL PARTIES. PLEASE USE YOUR VOTE JUDICIOUSLY AND FORCE
POLITICAL PARTIES TO LISTEN TO YOUR DEMANDS.
IESM
THANKS ALL MEMBERS FOR GRACIOUSLY DONATING FOR FLOODS VICTIMS IN JAMMU
AND KASHMIR. FUNDS, RECEIVED AS DONATION, HAVE BEEN DULY PASSED ON TO J
& K FLOOD VICTIMS.
DONATIONS FROM MEMBERS TO SUPPORT AGITATION FOR OROP WILL BE APPRECIATED BY IESM.
ALL ESM ORGANISATIONS ARE REQUESTED TO JOIN THE AGITATION AND UNITE FOR OROP AND SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO GOVERNMENT.
Gp Capt VK Gandhi VSM
Gen Sec IESM
L - 48, Sector - 25,
NOIDA. 201301
Tele no 01204313951
Mobile 09810541222
Pls see IESM latest NEWS on http://www.iesm.in
OROP is our right. Dilution in OROP will NOT be accepted.
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