OROP: Ex-servicemen engage in recrimination ahead of rally

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the defence veterans' rally this weekend for full implementation of One Rank, One Pension ( OROP), an all-out war seems to have broken among the agitating ex-servicemen with different factions levelling allegations against each other.

In a mail sent out to some journalists, Col (retd) Dinesh Nain, who was till yesterday secretary general of the United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM), claimed that the body has expelled Major General Satbir Singh-led Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) from the umbrella group.

"The officials of the IESM have not accounted for the funds collected at Jantar Mantar and other places. The hard earned donations of serving and ex-servicemen running into crores have not been accounted for by the officials and no records have been placed by the IESM in the meetings of UFESM," the email said.

Col Anil Kaul, media advisor to the IESM, trashed the allegation, saying all money has been accounted for and a press conference would be held tomorrow to explain the situation.

Kaul said UFESM continues to exist and his group is a part of it. Denying that the proposed rally on Saturday has been cancelled, he said preparations are in full swing and it would be held as scheduled at Jantar Mantar.

Lt Gen Balbir Singh, President of the Indian Ex-Servicemen League (IESL), which had disassociated itself from the UFESM yesterday, said he was unaware of any expulsion of IESM from the umbrella organisation.

"I have nothing to do with the letter or any such decision if it has been taken. As far as I am concerned the old UFESM was disbanded yesterday itself," Balbir Singh said.

He added that Col Nain was elected as the secretary general of the old UFESM.

The government had last weekend accepted the 43-year-old demand to remove disparities in pensions but a few sticking points continue to exist.

The main concern of the protesting veterans relates to extension of benefits to premature retirees, annual revision of pensions as against the five-yearly review granted by the government and the method of re-calculation.