The Indian government finally accepted the long pending demand for 'One Rank One Pension', only to be rejected by the ex-servicemen, who have resolved to continue the fast-unto-death along with their 84-day long stir. But they relented and ended the fast-unto-death after Prime minister Narendra Modi assured them that those who opt for premature retirement will receive OROP benefits. “The bulk of the £1 billion of OROP will be for the jawans and soldiers who have served 15 years for this country. Don't be misled. There is no pay commission that has been set up. It is only a judicial commission to address any shortcomings, to see if any small changes are needed,” he said and urged ex-servicemen to allow a committee proposed along with the OROP award to resolve pending issues. “If there are some shortcomings, allow the committee to examine the issues,” he said.
Shortly after Modi's assurance, ex-servicemen called off their hunger strike. “We've ended our fast-unto-death, but if govt does not fulfil its promise we are going to come back like a hurricane,” Major General (retd) Satbir Singh said. Colonel Pushpendra, Havildar Major Singh and Havildar Ashok Singh called off their hunger strike and were offered food.
“We are happy with the hunger strike been called off,” Colonel (retd) Pushpendra Singh said. However, they decided to continue their protest till all the "sticky" issues are resolved. The ex-servicemen said revision of pension after a gap of five years as announced by the government is not at all acceptable to them, besides appointment of a one-man judicial commission to examine various aspects of one rank-one pension (OROP).
Earlier, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the government would implement the OROP, under which pensions would be revised every five years as opposed to two years, demanded by the veterans.
The base year would be 2013, and it would be implemented from July 2013, the minister said, making it apparent that those who have taken voluntary retirement won't be eligible for the scheme. He also said that the government would set up a one-member judicial committee to work out the details of the scheme which would file a report in 6 months.
