The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who himself is an ex-soldier, blamed the BJP government for dilution of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme and held it responsible for the suicide of Subedar Ram Kishan Grewal in New Delhi.
The former soldier had allegedly committed suicide over non-implementation of OROP scheme. Mr. Reddy said the BJP government was behaving in an undemocratic manner and its attitude reflected when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was arrested when he went to meet Grewal’s family members.
Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Reddy pointed out that Mr. Rahul Gandhi had written a letter to the Prime Minister about 15 days ago seeking meaningful implementation of OROP. “Rahul Gandhi has highlighted the specific flaws and anomalies in OROP, Disability Pension and 7th Pay Commission which were detrimental to the interest of both serving and retired soldiers but the Prime Minister did not take note of it insulting the soldiers,” he alleged.
The former Indian Air Force officer also reminded that the OROP Act was passed in Parliament by the previous UPA government for the welfare of all soldiers but the BJP government completely diluted it reducing the amounts to 50 to 60 per cent of what was originally envisaged.
Mr. Reddy said the Protocol of soldiers vis-a-vis Civilians officers under the 7th Pay Commission was also downgraded. Earlier the rank of a Brigadier in Army was equivalent to that of an Inspector General of Police but now it has been scaled down to that of a DIG.
