New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has failed to live up to its promise of providing relief to retired troops of the Indian army after luring votes.
Mr Modi in the 2013 elections rally in Haryana and later addressing soldiers in Siachen in 2014 promised to launch “One Rank, One Pension” initiative. But his government put the plans into cold storage after coming into power.
Former four-star officer of the Indian army, retired General Vijay Kumar Sing, and thousands other retired soldiers trusted Modi and voted him into power. But he gave them the cold shoulder after winning the polls as several retired officers are still waiting to receive benefits of the OROP.
The former troops, who were given the go-by, have staged protests against the Modi government when they were also tortured by security officials. Ten former army chiefs of India later wrote to Modi to express resentment over torture on former soldiers, besides demanding formation of an investigation commission to probe the incident.
It is recalled that Subedar Ram Kishan Grewal, who was an OROP activist, had committed suicide in 2016 after government did not accept the demands.
So far, more than 5,000 retired Indian army officials had returned their awards in protest. Recently, the BJP-led government approved an amendment bill despite clear orders from the country’s top court. The retired officers had rejected the bill.
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