Govt. has ‘messed up’ One Rank, One Pension: Scindia

B:LINE: Power Minister, Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia . Pic Ramesh SharmaInterview : Richa

“The Congress will continue to raise issues linked to the demands of the armed forces. OROP [One Rank, One Pension] has to be implemented fully, not piecemeal,” former Congress minister and currently the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha Jyotiraditya Scindia told The Hindu.

Anomalies

He added: “The anomalies in the Seventh Pay Commission, parity between the armed forces and civil service must be addressed. The government has messed up everything.” A day after several Congress leaders, including party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, were detained for attempting to meet the family members of Subedar Ram Krishen Grewal, Mr. Scindia who was thrashed by the Delhi police on Wednesday, made light of his own condition. “It’s not about me — whether I was manhandled or not by the Delhi police; what is important is that the rights of a grieving family were trampled upon. People must be allowed to grieve, meet whoever they want and not be beaten up for doing so.The government must also explain why the family members were thrashed.”

Murder of democracy

“What is germane,” Mr. Scindia said, “is that a war veteran’s family members were arrested by the police at a time of great sorrow and loss for them. They did not allow them to grieve. What is this but the murder of democracy?”

“Rahul Gandhi went to condole with the family, so he was detained as well,” he continued. “BJP leaders are allowed to condole, no one else.”

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister went to Ramkishanji's funeral, to offer his condolences.The young Congress leader also hit out at Union Minister of State, Gen.(Retd.) VK Singh, saying “ Look at the insensitivity he displayed by saying that the Subedar , who committed suicide was mentally unstable.

Imagine what impact such a statement has on the jawans guarding our borders and on his family members, labelling him mentally unstable...”

True face

“This is the true face of the BJP government. It will tell the people when to speak, what to wear, what to eat..." Mr Scindia said, asking: “is this a democracy or a totalitarian government?”

The young Congress leader also hit out at Union Minister of State Gen.(retd.) V.K. Singh for his remarks about Grewal.