: On the eve of their decision to begin returning their medals in protest, ex-servicemen demanding One Rank One Pension (OROP) called on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his office on Monday.
According to a source close to Mr. Kejriwal, the contingent, in addition to submitting their charter of demands to him, also requested that his government throw its weight behind them as they had been assured.
“We have one and only 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,” Group Captain V K Gandhi (retd), who is the General Secretary of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM), told reporters.
“In protest against the government notification, from November 10-11, ex-servicemen across the country will start returning their medals,” Capt. Gandhi added.
The source said the Delhi government, which has 'taken up the cause of uniformed men and women several times', stood in solidarity with the ex-servicemen and 'was in agreement with their cause'.
Mr. Kejriwal is understood to have asked several senior functionaries in the government to begin a study of the charter of demands being made by OROP protesters so that 'positive and holistic intervention' could be made on their behalf.
Meanwhile, Capt. Gandhi said the contingent of ex-servicemen had called on Mr. Kejriwal to brief him about the government notification, which allows equalisation of pension every five years instead of every year as had been demanded. Capt.
Mr. Gandhi said Mr. Kejriwal had assured them that he would take up the issue, address a press conference and also visit the protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar.
Capt. Gandhi said Mr. Kejriwal had assured them that he would take up the issue, address a press conference and also visit the protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar.
