VETERANS TO RETURN THEIR MEDALS TODAY

The Modi government and ex-servicemen who are demanding one rank, one pension seem to be headed for another showdown. The ex-servicemen hit back at defence minister Manohar Parikkar for his comments that not all their demands could be fulfilled.

They said they had “one demand”, and that they would intensify the agitation by returning their medals from Tuesday.

A showdown is in the offing between the Narendra Modi government and ex-servicemen protestsing against OROP.

The ex-servicemen hit out against defence minister Manohar Parikkar for stating that not all their demands could be fulfilled and said they only have “one demand” of OROP and that they will intensify their agitation by returning medals from Tuesday.

Mr Parrikar said on Monday that everyone has a right to make a demand in a democracy, but not all demands can be fulfilled.

Threatning to intensify their agaitation, Group Captain V.K. Gandhi (retd), who is the general secretary of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM), said, “We have one demand and that is OROP. It was the government who inserted provisions that has made the issue complicated. We want OROP as per the definition. No junior should get more pension than his senior. In protest against the government notification, we will start returning our medals from Tuesday. And November 10-11, ex-servicemen across India will start returning their medals. They have already informed the district magistrates about this.”

The protesting ex-servicemen also met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. They said Mr Kejriwal had asked them to brief him about the government notification on OROP.