OROP stir: One more fasting ex-servicemen hospitalised

NEW DELHI: An ex-serviceman, participating in the relay hunger strike over 'One Rank, One Pension' here, was today hospitalised after his health deteriorated during the agitation to which no end seems to be in sight.

"Havildar (retd) Abhilash Singh has been taken to hospital. He was on relay hunger strike," said an official from the United Front of Ex-Servicemen, the umbrella organisation of veterans carrying out the protest.

He is the fifth ex-serviceman to be hospitalised after deterioration in health condition during the relay hunger strike, as four were admitted to hospital earlier.

The agitation by the ex-servicemen entered the 76th day today but there seems to be no end in sight as the deadlock continues between the government and the protesters.

Yesterday the government had said "some more time" will be required to roll out OROP as "small gaps are being filled".

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said, "In principle, the Prime Minister on August 15 (Independence Day speech) has given an approval. Now, PMO is directly involved...then by saying that do it in these many days will not help. All efforts are being made to solve the issue."

Close to 22 lakh retired servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the scheme, which envisages a uniform pension for the defence personnel who retire in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.

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 less pension than a Lt Colonel who retired after 1996.