Stating that the BJP had fulfilled its election promise on the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said that returning or burning of medals by war veterans was an insult to the nation and the armed forces.
Talking to reporters after dedicating the Navy’s long range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I to the nation at INS Rajali naval air station near here, the Minister said OROP was not the promise made by the government but an assurance of a political party, which “to the best of its understanding has satisfied” itself that it has completed what it had promised.
While it was democratic to agitate demanding for more, insulting the honour by returning the medals did not speak well, he said. “The medals are given in recognition of bravery or your service or your performance to the nation,” he said, when asked for his comment on the ongoing protests by a section of ex-servicemen.
Asked whether he suspected any political motive behind the protests, he said he did not want to make any allegation. The Minister said the percentage of import of equipment in the defence sector was on the decline as the government encouraged manufacturers to ‘Make in India.’
Earlier, Mr. Parrikar arrived at INS Rajali from Port Blair on board a P-8I. During his flight, the Minister also saw in a screen, sailors on board INS Sahyadri waving to him, which was on its way back from Indonesia.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R.K. Dhowan said that P-8I would be the “eyes and ears” of the Navy in the high seas and it would add to the firepower of the force.
Thomas A. Bell, senior vice president, Global Sales & Marketing, Defence, Space & Security of Boeing, which made the P-8I aircraft, said that India ordered for 12 of them. While eight have already been delivered, another four would be delivered soon.
It may be recalled that it was a P-8I which led the fleet of aircraft over the Rajpath in the national capital during the Republic Day celebrations in January this year, when US president Barrack Obama was the chief guest. The Indian Navy became the first international customer for the P-8I aircraft with the conclusion of the nearly $ 2.1-billion contract on Jan 1, 2009 for a total of eight aircraft, according to the Defence Ministry.
