New Delhi: In a huge embarrassment for Rahul Gandhi, the ex-servicemen protesting over their demand of implementation of the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme forced the Congress Vice President to leave Jantar Mantar on Friday.
Asking him to leave the protest venue, the former defence personnel have clarified that they do not want any politician to involve in their fight. Rahul had reached Jantar Mantar to show his solidarity with the ex-servicemen.
"The people who defended our country should not be treated like this. The government should implement OROP. The PM should give a date when will it be implemented. All the technicalities should have been taken into account earlier, not after promising to implement OROP," Rahul said.
Earlier in the day, the ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar were involved in a scuffle with Delhi Police when they were being forcefully vacate the protest site. Police said that they had to ask the protestors to leave as they were sanitising the area ahead Independence Day.
However, later the Delhi Police conceded to the demands of the ex-servicemen and allowed them to continue their protest. Allowing the protest, the police has said that there can only be a certain number of ex-servicemen in the area. The situation has stabilised and a peaceful demonstration by a limited number of protestors is being held at Jantar Mantar.
The retired armed forces personnel had on Thursday outrightly rejected the latest proposal on One Rank One Pension offered by the Narendra Modi government. The ex-servicemen have maintained that they do not want any change and do not want the OROP to be diluted. The veterans want OROP to be implemented in letter and spirit as approved by Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may announce implementation of the long delayed OROP scheme on August 15 when India celebrates its 69th Independence Day.
The ex-servicemen, who have been protesting against the delay in the implementation of the scheme, said they will wait till August 15 for the announcement and if the government does not heed to their demands, they will step up their protests.
One Rank One Pension scheme has been a long-standing demand of nearly three-million ex-servicemen and war widows in the country. It seeks to ensure that a uniform pension is paid to defence personnel who retire at the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.
Despite the Prime Minister's assurances, the scheme continues to elude ex-servicemen.
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