General
A meeting was held at Yadav Dharamshala on 28 Sep 14, which was attended by large number of Veterans from Mohindergarh District and neighbouring Districts of Rajasthan. Col Inderjit Singh Chairman was the Chief Guest.
Feeling of Resentment
During the meeting speaker after speaker expressed their resentment at the delay in grant of OROP to the Veterans. They were questioning the very sincerity of the Govt about their promises.
Lt Col Inderjit Singh Spoke
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman Col Inderjit Singh stated that your Association has been struggling to get you your rightful place in the Society for the last 33 years. We were the one who put up OROP to the Govt first time ever, way back on 22 Feb 1982. Ever since we got five Prime Ministers to accept it. Once in 1990 and second time in 2006 we even got it for you, but then the bureaucrats got it stopped at the next opportunity. Now the Sixth PM has sanctioned it and the Seventh PM Mr Modi had made firm commitment to grant us before, during and after the Elections.
Rewari Rally
On 13 Sep 2013, Mr Narendra Modi announced at the Veterans Rally that on taking over the Govt after elections, he would not only give OROP, but will also restore the dignity of soldiers. Veterans were very much taken in by his statement and voted and supported his party into power.
UPA Govt Sanctions OROP
We had a meeting with the leadership of UPA on 14 Feb 2014 about OROP and on 17 Feb 2014 the UPA Govt announced in the Parliament the acceptance of OROP for Armed Forces. The Finance Minister allotted funds and promised that more funds will be allotted to meet the commitment. The RM appointed a Committee for implementation before the elections.
OROP Scuttled
This Committee produced the proposal which was far short of OROP and was rejected by the Services. Then the bureaucrats asked the Services to put up their proposal which they did reflecting true definition of OROP. This was rejected by the Bureaucrats on grounds that it was too costly and they have no money.Then the Chiefs made a presentation Hon'ble Sh Arun Jaitley the RM on 12 Jun to move matters. In that meeting the bureaucrats produced an expenditure of Rs 9100 crores to scare the leadership. No decision was taken. When even that meeting did not produce results then Gen VK Singh led delegation met the the RM. In that meeting the RM told the Veterans to tone down their expectations. In other words they are not prepared to give full OROP. The matter rests there. With no hope of OROP being given.
Whether Promises Fulfilled
Our respected Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi where ever he went during Electioneering he asked the public whether the Govt fulfilled their promises to the people? When the public said no he urged them to throw them out. Now the time has come for Veterans to ask Mr Modi, where is the OROP he promised and what should we do during Haryana elections when the already sanctioned matter has not been implemented by his Govt even after four months of his coming to power?
Resolution
Appeal
Despite great victory in General Elections, the public after seeing their performance have rejected NDA in recent by polls. Now it is your turn to decide. The Association during its Governing Council Meeting have passed a Resolution requesting the Govt to sanction OROP by 31 Dec 2014. If it fails to do it then we shall make some more sacrifices to win their hearts over for giving us OROP.
Appeal
We appeal to you to exercise your vote judicially as other States have done so that the leadership realises that it cannot get away by making false promises to the Veterans. Having done that get yourself ready to make sacrifices after 31 Dec 2014 for achieving OROP.
Copies of the Resolution were later distributed to the Veterans. (See Resolution below.) This has been sent to Sh Narendra Modi the Hon'ble PM.
The Meeting ended with the members resolving to prepare themselves for a long struggle ahead and for making sacrifices.
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RESOLUTION FORWARDED TO THE PRIME MINISTER
Respected Modi Saheb
1. You were very kind to promise to fulfil the long standing demand of OROP of Veterans on coming to power. Your first action to restate your commitment by the President during the Joint Session of Parliament was very reassuring. Hearing that, the bureaucrats who have successfully stalled its implementation for over 33 years, got into action again.
2. In our Governing Council Meeting held in Delhi on 21 Aug the present position with regard to grant of OROP was explained.
3. It was a matter of deep shock for all present to know that despite your commitment the Bureaucrats are out to deny us our rightful due. They were in agony to know what was going on and then went on to pass the attached RESOLUTION which they wanted me to convey to you so that you could take preventive action to ward off this disastrous situation.
4. Many volunteers got up to make supreme sacrifice if the OROP did not come through even with a leader like you at the helm. We have no doubt that you will not let this happen.
Yours Sincerely
Inderjit SIngh
The Hon’ble
Sh. Narendra Modi Bhai
The Prime Minister of India
South Block
New Delhi - 110011
Copy to :-
The Hon’ble
Sh. Arun Jaitley
Defence Minister
Govt of India
South Block
New Delhi – 110011
The Hon’ble
Sh. Rao Inderjit Singh
Raksha Rajya Mantri
New Delhi -110011
Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag,
PVSM,UYSM,AVSM,VSM,ADC
Chief of Army Staff
Integrated HQ of MoD
New Delhi-110011
Admiral RK Dhowan,
PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff Integrated HQs of Armed Forces (Navy) South Block, New Delhi-110011 |
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
Chief of the Air Staff Indian Air Force Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi 110011 |
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GRANT OF ONE RANK ONE PENSION
RESOLUTION
GENERAL
Past History
1. We have been struggling for the last 33 years for the grant of ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP) for Veterans. Down the line five Prime Ministers starting with Indiraji had accepted to give it. All their benign gestures to grant the Veterans their rightful dues were however frustrated by the hostile bureaucracy.
Recent Commitments
2. Now the Sixth Prime Minister had announced its acceptance in the Parliament on 17 Feb 2014. The seventh Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi had given his commitment even before he assumed the charge. After assuming charge he reiterated his commitment through Presidential address to the joint session of the Parliament.
Bureaucratic Opposition
3. The bureaucrats are out to frustrate the commitment of Sh Narendra Modi also. They first produced their own version of OROP, which was rejected with the contempt it deserved. When they were given the correct definition, they worked out Rs 9100.00 crore as expenditure to scare the leadership into reneging from their commitment.
Parting Shot
4. A delegation of Veterans met the Hon'ble RM on 16 Jul 2014. After the meeting when they were leaving, as a parting shot, the Hon'ble RM told them that they should lower their expectations. In other words we should not hope to get true version of OROP. A time has come when unless the Hon'ble PM takes appropriate action he was also likely to fail as his illustrious predecessors.
RESOLUTION
5. We therefore unanimously resolve to appeal to Sh Narendra Modi our respected Prime Minister,
a) to take matters in his own hands and fulfill his promises made at Rewari to grant OROP to the Veterans on coming to power, as the Bureaucrat who have short changed us for the last thirty three years are not going to let it happen so easily;
b) we further submit that we shall be waiting for its implementation until 31 Dec 2014. If it does not come through we shall know that the Hon'ble Prime Minister, our respected leader, is not satisfied with the sacrifices already made by the veterans for the Nation. We shall then make a few more with the hope that he would be won over into fulfilling his promises.
CONCLUSION
6. During recent Elections wherever the Hon'ble PM went, he asked the public whether the previous Govt fulfilled their promises to them? When the public answered NO, he told them to throw the Govt out , which they did with a vengeance unheard of before. We are sure that the dedicated and effective leader that he is, he would not allow the bureaucrats to land him in similar situation.
(Inderjit Singh)
Lt Col (Retd)
Chairman)
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