Col J P Singh, Retd
One Rank One Pension (OROP), a just and genuine demand of ex-servicemen, ironically came through after a distasteful struggle spanning over 30 years. It was such a genuine and legitimate demand that the ex-servicemen had resolved to get it any how. Callous attitude of successive Govts created conditions which compelled them to disown and dump their gallantry awards, service medals and artificial limbs at the doorsteps of President of India who also happens to be Supreme Military Commander. Finally it came through at the fag end of the UPA II Govt under the pressure of assurances given by present Prime Minister Narendra Modi at ex-servicemen rally at Rewari before the general election. While talking to soldiers at Siachen on Diwali day he said, “it was in my destiny to have given you your genuine and long denied one rank one pension”. But the present status of OROP is status quo. We are hearing now and then Govt’s often repeated statements that the demand has been accepted and the modalities of its implementation are being worked out.
The new Defence Minister disappointed the soldiers by saying, “my ministry is seized of the problem. The Govt is seriously considering implementing OROP and the announcement will be made in 4 to 8 weeks but I have serious misgivings vis-a-vis 100 percent implementation of OROP, as the requirement of funds is enormous and 100 percent satisfaction is never achievable in one’s life”.
Before that ex defence minister Arun Jaitley had told the ex-servicemen to lower their expectations. Military Chiefs have virtually disowned ex-servicemen and the politicians only give them lip service to improve their TRPs. This shows Indian apathy for her ex soldiers. And now even frontline fighting soldiers are being told to defend India with whatever they have. Large scale deficiencies in bullet proof jackets, shoes, winter and snow clothing and other equipment is well known after exposed by media recently. It reduces Indian armed forces to a second rate service in Defence Minister’s views leaving it at the mercy of bureaucracy. Such utterances and exposes increasingly gives veterans an impression that fulfilling OROP depends entirely upon the bureaucracy. Going by his intent, implementing 80% of OROP would save him Rs. 1,860 crore by tinkering with the modalities of payment. Hence he has given free hand to bureaucrats to delay and dilute OROP as they had done with the grant of rank pay to officers by the 4th pay commission. Does the Govt intend to decry the services and sacrifices of 2.5 million ex-servicemen and four lakh widows and war disabled for this measly sum. Veterans have already given more than their 100 percent to the nation. Why should they be forced to accept tinkering of what is due to them.
The veterans have lost faith in the present Govt for which they had voted enthusiastically because the armed forces have been deceived before in 1986 by tinkering with the rank pay granted by 4th CPC which however has since been paid in 2012-13 after Supreme Court’s directions in 2008. But its carry forward effect has not yet been added in the pension of effected veterans.
There was a write up in Times of India last month about the present Govt’s calibrated inaction on the repeatedly promised and proclaimed acceptance of a 30 year old and fully justified demand of ex-servicemen for one rank one pension. It was an eye opener. At least someone had the time and intent to portray the omnipotent statecraft of India’s elite bureaucracy which has earned a unique distinction for having succeeded in reducing the ex-soldiers of the world’s third largest military to virtual beggars. This feat has no precedence anywhere in the world. Who is bothered if Indian youths refuse to look at officers’ uniform in military as a first career option. Thus the armed forces continue to be deficient of 13000 officers.
What does OROP means has been discussed, written and explained many times before. Let me explain it again for the ease of understanding and appreciating the concerns of veterans. The term OROP essentially means that soldiers of the same rank and same length of service receive the same pension irrespective of their date of retirement. It also means that armed forces personnel holding the same rank will get the same pension, regardless of the last pay drawn, years of service, date of retirement and the years served in a particular rank. Simply stated it means compensation for retirement at much younger age. Currently, pensioners who retired before 2006 draw much less pension than their juniors who retired after 2006 even in a rank junior to them.
If someone is wondering why so special consideration for the soldiers, I request him to ponder how unnatural it is for a soldier to be ordered to advance into showers of bullets to capture an enemy position or to eliminate militants from a dwelling and die an unnatural death at the prime of his life. Also please think it over how the legislators receive the same pension irrespective of their term as a legislator.
The length of service, date of retirement and last pay drawn determine the pension. Enrolment as soldier is between 17 to 21 years of age. He is retired after 17 years service at an age of 34 to 38. He faces 1 or maximum 2 pay commissions during his 17 years of service whereas his counterparts in the civil services face 4 to 5. With every pay commission soldiers who retire early get lesser pension. Soldiers suffer the disparity bred by it every 10 years. By summation soldiers lose approximately 25 years emoluments because they retire that many years earlier than their counterparts whereas JCOs lose 12 to 15 years and officers lose 4 to 6 years emoluments at the time of retiring. Its cumulative monetary effect works out to be 50 to 70 lac till the age of 60 and 75 to 85 lac upto the current longevity index of above 75. Hence this was a demand for equity and justice and not for money per-se. Why no compensation is provided for so much monetary loss to those who serve for the safety and security of the nation and are compulsorily sent home at younger age if they survive.
Lt Gen S K Bahri, commissioned in 1954, has written to Raksha Mantri telling him, “Soon after I was commissioned, ‘2nd Defence Services Pay Award’ was granted. At that time the pension of a Lt Col was fixed at Rs. 675, approximately 1/3rd higher than a Secretary of the Central Govt if he had completed 20 years service. No questions were asked as to how long he held that rank. However since most of the officers had come through the World War II and enrolled even beyond 28 years age, some did not have 20 years service at the retiring age of 48 for full pension in whose case Rs. 15 were deducted from their monthly pension for every lesser year of service. Why now the condition that pension has to be worked for each rank according to the period that rank is held”. “Despite your good intentions bureaucracy is hell bent on delaying if not scuttling one rank one pension and if you wish to play the latest googly bowled by them, then the soldiers can kiss OROP goodbye” he has written. Feelings of so senior a veteran tells it all.
The apathy of 6th CPC will always be remembered by the soldiers. It was after a tough stand taken by the service Chiefs that some improvements were effected but only for the serving soldiers. Ex-servicemen, war disabled, war widows and family pensioners were left out. This resulted in a spate of agitations, court cases and return of gallantry awards, medals and artificial limbs. Later some relief given by the Apex Court in disability pension which has still not been effected by the ministry. Seeing discrimination with their retired fathers and relatives the serving soldiers are bound to get effected. Consequently feelings of a soldier can be as under:-
I still risk my life without a sigh
To keep your flag flying so high,
But today I ask myself a question
Oh India, Why for You do I die.
Such unhappy prospects of soldiers can turn ugly. In a situation of betrayal and disappointment like this, there is no other course left but to articulate the grievances before the nation by restarting agitation to realise OROP. Veterans have announced a maha rally at Jantar-Mantar on 1st February to express their annoyance with the present regime. It is expected to have some impact due to Delhi Assembly Election in conveying that tinkering in ‘one rank one pension’ is not tolerable. This scribe intends to be there to show his solidarity with the crusaders of a legitimate demand.
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