Over 2,000 war veterans return medals


New Delhi, Nov 10, 2015 (PTI) : Over 2,000 ex-servicemen protesting against the government's "diluted" one-pension-one rank scheme today returned their medals in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, the organizations spearheading the movement claimed today as they hit back at Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for his "unlike soldiers behaviour" remark aimed at them.

Colonel (retd) Anil Kaul, spokesman of the protesters in Delhi, said 2,000 ex-servicemen's medals were deposited at the district collector's office.

"The veterans had threatened to leave the medals on the road if we didn't accept it. Hence, we accepted those," District Collector Sanjay Kumar told reporters.

In Chandigarh, Brigadier Kiran Krishan (retd), Convener for North Haryana of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), a constituent of United Front of Ex-Servicemen that had led the nation-wide protest for OROP at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, said that more than 150 war veterans returned over 150 medals which were handed over to the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Panchkula.

Kaul said ex-servicemen from Ambala, Chandigarh, Moga, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur returned their medals today while those from Mumbai, Pune, Vadodara and Bangalore will follow the suit.

"Our people from Mumbai, Pune, Vadodara and Bangalore will return their medals next. By the way, this is just the trailer," he added.

The veterans claimed over 20,000 of them have returned medals since their protest began in 2008 to press for OROP.

Kaul reacted sharply to Parrikar's statement that the war veterans' protest against OROP notification is "unlike that of a soldier" and said the Parrikar's behaviour "too doesn't behove that of a Defence Minister.

Dismissing Parrikar's remarks that the protesters were being "misguided" and that the OROP notification issued on Saturday has been his "achievement", the agitators shot back at the BJP leader asking him to learn English to know meanings of the two words and asked him not to "lie" to his soldiers seeking their due rights.

"He says our behaviour is unlike that of a soldier. But we feel Parrikar's behaviour is unlike that of a Defence Minister. We have been seeking our due to rights for past 149 days. But government has found no time to listen to us.

"Hence, we have been impelled to agitate Mr Parrikar. Your notification is not what we have been talking about. Therefore, we are returning medals," Kaul said.

Kaul said the veterans returning the medals should not be linked to the intelligentsia's "award wapasi" (returning awards).

"Raksha Mantriji, our protest is unlike that of other award-wapasi agitations. We will take back our medals with honour and dignity the day the One Rank One Pension we are talking about is implemented," Major Gen (retd) Satbir Singh, Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) spearheading the movement, said.

Singh also rejected Parrikar's remark that 95 percent of the veterans' community is satisfied with the notification. "Had that been the case, these people would not have turned up on the roads. He is misguiding on this issue," Singh said pointing towards fellow protesters.

Kaul also refuted claims of differences among the veterans over the issue. At many places in Punjab and Haryana including Panchkula, Ambala, Mohali and Patiala, the veterans held protest and said they were dis-satisfied with the notification issued by the central government last week.

The protesting veterans said that they will observe a 'black Diwali' to protest the Centre's "going back" on its assurances.

As a mark of protest, the medals would be returned to the Centre through the Deputy Commissioners (DC) of the concerned district where the veterans had handed them over.

Brig (Retd) Kiran Krishan said those veterans who returned their medals were from various ranks including Major Generals, Subedar Majors, Captains, Sepoys, among other ranks.

"In our memorandum to the Prime Minister, which we submitted to the ADC, Panchkula, we have expressed our dissatisfaction on issue of notification as it doesn't meet our requirements," he said.

On Parrikar saying the behaviour of ex-servicemen protesting the notification on OROP scheme are "misguided", Krishan said "I don't think anybody is being misguided or misled. This is not just here that we are holding this protest, it is happening at 500 places where the medals were to be returned."

He said "the government must resolve the issue. Even when we were in talks with government, they brought new conditions.."

Asked what will be the future course of action now, he said "a general body will meet soon and devise the new strategy."

The government had on Saturday formally notified the OROP scheme for over 24 lakh ex-servicemen and six lakh war widows in the country.

It has dropped the contentious proposal to exclude ex-servicemen who sought premature retirement from the ambit of OROP. But the armed forces personnel who opt to get discharged on their request would henceforth not get OROP benefits, as per the notification.

Ex-servicemen who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi since June, have rejected the notification.

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Ex Sgt. George A Borromeo, Mangalore, India

    Wed, Nov 11 2015

    Are we fool enough to return our hard earned Medals ???? Greediness of Officer cadre spoils the whole lot of OR Ex Service Men. Canteen facility, Educational Scholarships to our children, Even Professional and Higher Educational quota, ECH Polyclinic facility, Housing and Land allotment at State Level, Employment and Resettlement quota in Public Sector enterprises and above all an honorable title "Ex Serviceman", still the elite lot wants more, He dil Maangey more. Jo miltha he usko leke kush raho.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Rohan, Mumbai

    Wed, Nov 11 2015

    ONLY medals.....what about Pension and other benefits still enjoying they seems not a real soldiers.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • tony sequeira, mangalore

    Wed, Nov 11 2015

    Modi Ji You can fool some people all the times and all the peoples some times but you cannot fool all the peoples all the times. OROP is one case that has proved to our country men how shallow are your promises.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • abdul samad, mangalore

    Wed, Nov 11 2015

    WOW WITHIN A TWO YEARS MODI RECEIVED SO MANY AWARDS

    DisAgree [4] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Peter, Bangalore

    Wed, Nov 11 2015

    Modi on Diwali 2014, at Siachen Glacier "It was in my destiny that One rank One pension has been fulfilled"

    DisAgree [2] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Elroy, Karkala

    Wed, Nov 11 2015

    If the educated,ex RBI person like Manmohan Singh was finding hard to run the government, how it would be possible for Modi to run government, Its better Modi and shah settle to Gujarat, where he can make people quiet by Gun. Apdos Manuscho.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Peter, Bangalore

    Wed, Nov 11 2015

    OROP is Modi's one of election promises.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jp, Mangalore/SFO

    Tue, Nov 10 2015

    Now bhakths will say congress gave them medals ! Most bhakths do not know that one can earn something!!

    DisAgree [7] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rosario Fernandes, Kallianpur

    Tue, Nov 10 2015

    Do they (The Gov't) know the consequence of this. If this continues like this, only Modi and Amit Shah will have to secure our border.!!!!!!!!!!

    DisAgree [6] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Harry DSOUZA, KODAGU / MANGALORE

    Tue, Nov 10 2015

    VANDE MATHARAM!

    ALSO RETURN MONITORY BENEFITS, PETROL STATION / GAS AGENCIES AND HOUSE SITES RECEIVED ALONG WITH MEDALS.

    JAI JAWAN.

    DisAgree [10] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • J N Lobo, Mumbai

    Tue, Nov 10 2015

    Now Modiji can decorate himself with 2000 medals while appearing in Wembly Stadium, London, this week-end.

    DisAgree [7] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Over 2,000 war veterans return medals



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.