Disappointed over the Centre not announcing implementation of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme, ex-servicemen stepped up their agitation here on Monday with two veterans starting a fast-unto-death and 10 former service chiefs writing to prime minister against the attempted eviction of the protestors from the Jantar Mantar here.
Col. Pushpender Singh (retd.) and Major Singh, a retired havildar, began the hunger strike after Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not announce a specific date for launching the scheme in his Independence Day speech on Saturday.
The duo, who have been part of over two-month protest against the delay in announcing the date for implementing the OROP scheme, started their fast-unto-death as the veterans' agitation entered its 64th day.
Thus far, only relay hunger strikes have been staged.
In another development, 10 former former service chiefs wrote to Modi stating that they were "deeply perturbed and distressed" by what had happened on Friday, a day before Independence Day, when police and New Delhi Municipal Council officials tried to evict protesting ex-servicemen from Jantar Mantar citing security reasons.
As the demonstrators resisted the move, this led to a scuffle between the two sides.
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Later, the home ministry intervened and the veterans were informed they would not be asked to vacate the protest site. The damage, however, had already been done, with angry veterans questioning the police behaviour towards the country's own former soldiers.
The demonstrators' disappointment rose on Independence Day when the prime minister did not announce the specific date to implement the OROP, contrary to the widespread expectation among the veterans.
The letter was signed by former Indian Army chiefs General V.N. Sharma, General Shankar Roy Choudhary, General Gen. S. Padmanabhan, General N.C. Vij, General J.J. Singh, General Deepak Kapoor and General Bikram Singh, former Indian Air Force chiefs Air Chief Marshal N.C. Suri and Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi and former Indian Navy chief, Admiral Madhvendera Singh.
"We, the former chiefs of the three defence services are deeply perturbed and distressed by the highhanded treatment of our veterans on 14 August 2015 at Jantar Mantar," the letter said.
The letter said this "indiscretion" on the part of the police has seriously impacted the pride and morale of all ranks of the three services and the veterans.
"It is pertinent to mention that these veterans are the same soldiers, who have displayed unflinching loyalty towards the constitution and the nation during their service and still remain motivated to die for a noble cause. Unfortunately their dignity and pride today stand scarred and is a cause for serious concern," it said.
It also slammed the government's statement of "technical difficulties" hindering implementation of OROP.
"The often quoted technical difficulties without ever being specified and discussed are thus bewildering. This is simple arithmetic based on the Standard Pension Tables of the government. These delays are construed to be only with a view to bring in changes in the parameters and dilute the entitlements, which will be grossly unjust and unacceptable," the letter said.
"We have full faith in our political leadership but their inability to clinch the issue leaves us dismayed. We stand steadfastly by the side of our colleagues and fully support their just cause," it added.
The letter built on the one written by four former service chiefs warning that the OROP agitation could have "grave implications for national security" as it had severely impacted the Indian military's morale and self-esteem.
"We wish to focus attention on some issues that have grave implications for national security, and merit your attention, not only as the supreme commander of the armed forces but also as the first citizen of India," the former chiefs said in an open letter to President Pranab Mukherjee, adding that it was "with a sense of deep anguish" that they were drawing his attention "to the dismal spectacle of our veteran soldiers, driven to undertake public protests and demonstrations to press their demand.
The signatories were former Indian Navy chiefs Admiral Arun Prakash, Admiral L. Ramdas and Admiral Sureesh Mehta, and former Indian Army chief General S.F. Rodrigues.
There are around 24 lakh retired servicemen in India and around 6.5 lakh widows who will benefit if OROP is implemented.
Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations of the time when he or she retired. So, a major general who retired in 1996 draws a lower pension than a lieutenant colonel who retired after 1996.