Ex-servicemen not to call off stir

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
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Retired defence personnel have decided not to call off their ongoing agitation for One Rank One Pension (OROP) benefits against the Union Government at a meeting of the United Front of Ex-servicemen (UFE), Uttarakhand Chapter, here today.
The retired defence personnel have decided to take out a candle march in support of their year-long pending demands in Dehradun on September, 12.
Maj Gen Chander Nawani, (retd), president, UFE, welcomed the Union Government’s decision to sanction OROP benefits to retired defence personnel of the country, but he pointed out that the government should remove all clauses added by it in the OROP.
They said that retired defence personnel would completely call off their agitation only when the draft on OROP prepared by the government was mutually accepted by UFE members and government representatives without adding any clauses to it.
Maj Gen Lalji D Singh (retd) said OROP would not put much financial burden on the Union Government exchequer as nearly 60,000 soldiers and officers retired every year from the defence forces.
Speaking on the occasion, Brig KG Behl (retd), media in charge, UFE, said that members would not tolerate any kind of clause in OROP, which was for retired defence personnel.
He said retired defence personnel in 80 cities across the country were agitated against the Union Government in support of OROP demand, which was pending for nearly four decades.
The members said retired defence personnel had no problem if the Union Governments gives arrears in four instalments, but it should be done without any clause.
They said pension should be revised biennially instead of five years for defence personnel of the country.
They said the agitated members had called off fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar, but would completely call off the agitation once the government accedes to their all-pending demands.
 
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