PANJIM: Extending solidarity to the ex-servicemen who are on an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for the last month, retired army men in Goa joined the protest seeking implementation of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) policy. The protest, happening in Union Defence minister Manohar Parrikar’s former constituency, will continue till the demands are met.
Several ex-army men, including war veterans, under the banner of All Goa Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association (AGEWA) are protesting at Azad Maidan and have forwarded a memorandum to Parrikar seeking implementation of OROP.
AGEWA president Captain Dattaram Sawant said, “Indian armed forces are known for their valour, discipline and impeccable integrity. The veterans after retirement remain as dedicated as they were during service, except that they do not carry arms and have always been against any protest or agitation. Unfortunately, for the first time in Independent India, our ex-servicemen are on relay hunger strike for their legitimate demand of OROP, which has been promised by the government.”
He demanded that the government not betray the soldiers because the nation cannot afford to do so.
“The person who retires now gets four times more pension than those who had superannuated with me. This is gross injustice to us,” Surjit Singh, ex-master chief Indian Navy told media persons.
Singh said that when he joined the service, they were told that their pension would be 70 per cent, but when he retired in 1986, he learnt that the pension was 50 per cent.
“The families of those who die on the border get pension almost 50 per cent to that of ours. This imparity should be removed,” he said.
