OROP – A ball game no one knows whose court the ball is in.
For the past two days there have been many high level meetings in connection with OROP.
ESM’s reps met the NSA at his residence where COAS was also present. This followed the next day with the meetings at HM’s where the above mentioned along with Mr. Ram Madhav of RSS.
The channels went on and on incessantly declaring that OROP will be declared on the eve of 50th anniversary of 1965 war with Pakistan which falls on 28 Aug.
This raised the hopes and blood pressure of veterans in equal proportion. Many saw a narrow silver ray
Of OROP SUN In the eastern horizon which raised hope . But by 10 pm 25 Aug, one channel , NDTV, again scrolled that the” OROP talks with Govt inconclusive. Veterans reject Govt plan” sufficient to shoot up the mercury level in the sphygmomanometer fastened to the arms of veterans.
Hectic discussions went on till late into the night but the hurdle remained where it was. The Govt was unrelenting so were the Ex-Service men on the core issues of definition, base year, date of implementation and annual increase of 3%. Govt wants to implement from 2015 with 2011 as Base year. This was against as agreed and approved by two parliaments and ESM rightly rejected it.
When 1.25 lakh cror can be so easily sanctioned from the platform of public rally what adverse effect a couple of thousand cror saved by way of cutting short the date of implementation of OROP will have on the economic health of the country?
ESM have given an ultimatum which expires today.
To add insult to injury Ors up to the rank of Hav have risen in revolt demanding that they be heard before a decision is announced. Balls come from different courts. God knows whose court the ball is in now!!
Parleys are planned for today, too. Will it be fruitful or wasteful?
Nation watches with fingers crossed

JWO ( R ) Sukumaran

Today, the 62 day of relay hunger strike of veterans for OROP, the agitation attracted unprecedented national attention.

The NDMC and Delhi Police to an unwise decision to evict the agitating ex-service men from the venue of their agitation, Jantar Mantar.  One wonders whose brain child it was. Mercifully, so to say, the decision was reversed by the timely intervention of MHA. Otherwise situation could have gotten out of hand.

There was an optimistic expectation that the PM would announce OROP In his speech on 15 Aug on the lines of the definition agreed and approved by the parliament. But the hope got shattered after the meeting with FM, on 12 Aug, who came with new proposal suggesting 2011 as the year of reckoning. This naturally gave way to the apprehension that dilution in the implementation is in the offing which was unacceptable to IESM. Meanwhile , the letter from former four Chiefs of Staff too drew serious concern among one and all. It said volumes in few words. May it serve as an eye opener for the Govt.

Eagles were eyeing the prey and trying hard to sweep on them. Political parties of all hues are trying their best to take advantage. Sri Manish Tiwari said that OROP was sanctioned by the UPA govt an funds were allocated. How brazen one can be. No wonder such blunders come from a person who can name a person fugitive when no case , no FIR, no legal action initiated against him. Mr. Sidharth Nath Singh of BJP, as usual, repeated the often heard cliché that OROP is a commitment made by PM and will be implemented. And personalities who cared nil for the past 62 days suddenly thought that they should express solidarity with veterans, so Sri Aravind  Kejriwal tweeted that OROP must be approved immediately, as if it was delayed  because he did not tweet till now. To crown it all Sri Rahul Gandhi, who had time to take up the cause of FTII students and lead them to the Hon President of India visited the venue after veterans sat in Dharna for 61 days . He was received with dignity notwithstanding some chanting “GO BACK” but was not allowed to make a political speech.

One really wonders as to why the Defense Minister/any other Govt Reps. Or some one representing PMO has not visited and assuaged the agitated Veterans  so far. Why is the Govt making it a suspense thriller? Surely we are not awaiting release of a Alfred Hitchcok mistery. Please shed the cloak of secrecy and talk to the veterans, they are a patriotic fraternity. Govt will only gain not by taking them in confidence. Don’t divulge, at least assuage their concerns.

The IESM has scrupulously stayed apolitical, in tune with the tradition of Indian Armed Forces .That is the true legacy of our defense Service and will remain so forever.

Lots of hope are pinned on the speech of the PM from the ramparts of Red Fort tomorrow on the occasion of Independence Day.

Stop press:

The press conference by Defense Minister today at 1530 hrs shattered all hopes till now nurtured. He said that there are” technical difficulties” but will implement the promise given  by the Govt. There is nothing new in the statement . Just repeating what he has been saying always

So ,OROP remains a mirage

 Jwo (retd) Sukumaran Nair RV