New Delhi: The demand for One Rank One Pension or OROP has now become a new point of political confrontation between the Government and Opposition. The Delhi Police action to remove the agitating OROP protesters has stirred the political pot with Rahul Gandhi joining the protesters to express solidarity, though amid slogans of Rahul Go back. It was the 61st day of war veterans’ protest and relay hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. But the crack of dawn came with Police action against peacefully agitating ex-servicemen trying to evict them from the site. The Police action came on the eve of Independence Day when the agitating ex-servicemen were expecting an announcement by the Prime Minister when he will speak from Red Fort on the 69th Independence Day.
Delhi police action against agitating ex-servicemen did not last long and soon the message was conveyed to forces on ground to spare war-veterans. Home Ministry soon came into action and Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju spoke to Delhi Police Police commissioner on the issue.
Delhi’s top Cop BS Bassi later said “We always remove encroachment on August 15. We request whoever is sitting on dharna to move out. Total 25 groups were sitting. NDMC had come to remove certain encroachments from the area. Veterans’ leaders spoke to me. I allowed them. Despite the fact that all other groups have been removed and won't be there tomorrow. Rightly speaking no structure should be erected at Jantar Mantar. Our objective is to maintain law and order. We would not inconvenience any law abiding and peaceful protestor”
Though war veterans got the permission to continue their protest, the damage was already been done and the cost was Political for the government. Soon Political reactions started pouring in criticisms. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejariwal who is already at loggerheads with the Centre and the Delhi Police got an opportunity to attack the cops. He first tweeted and later gave a statement as well as rushed his MLA Surender Singh, a former Commando to the site.
The Delhi chief minister was not alone. The RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav from poll bound Bihar also questioned Government’s inaction. The Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi also sensed a political opportunity and rushed to Jantar Mantar. Raising the emotional pitch on the issue, he reminded the government that those who sought the implementation of the OROP scheme were the ones who secured the borders of the nation. Though he expressed this solidarity amid slogans of Rahul Gandhi Go back.
It was not first time that Rahul Gandhi criticised government on delay in OROP. He met Ex-Servicemen representatives in May 2015 also and expressed his solidarity for the cause. However there were questions that if he was so serious about the cause then why didn’t he raise this issue in Parliament when his party was agitating and stalling both houses. And also questions about why congress did not heed to this demand which is pending since last four decades.
The politics over OROP started with the BJP using it as a political tool in its election campaign in 2014. As the Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi had expressed solidarity with the demand of OROP which won him confidence of ex-servicemen. But the promise remained unfulfilled and this brought war-veterans to roads again. While government still maintaining that its committed to its promise but the need to sort out the issue as the sticking points include annual financial implication of over Rs. 8000 crore to devise a news formula for annual pension revision.
Now all the eyes would be focused on the Red Fort from where the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the nation on 69th Independence Day. Veterans have already announced that if the government announces the date of implementing the OROP, then they would be holding a thank You Rally and if no announcement comes from the Red Fort then the agitation will intensify and the battle ground will move from Jantar-Mantar to Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.
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