One Rank One Pension is finally going to be a reality for nearly 2.5 million retired defence personnel and 6 lakh widows of soldiers following a 42-year-old struggle which also saw several military veterans returning their medals. While the anomaly in pensions started in 1973 after the Third Pay Commission recommendations, it is only now in 2015 that the veterans have been able to get the government to agree to their demands.
One of the prominent supporter s of the One Rank One Pension agitation has been Rajeev Chandrasekhar, an Independent MP in Rajya Sabha from Bangalore. In an email interview to IBNLive, the parliamentarian thanked the Centre for finally agreeing to One Rank One Pension and also congratulated the veterans for the success of their agitation. He dismissed apprehensions that such an agitation by defence veterans is an unhealthy sign.
"No, no, no! Veterans and their ties with national service and sacrifice are idolised and respected by all Indians. It's never good if they have to protest in the open like they have had to do. It's not a good thing for us as Indians to allow things to come to this pass. Politicisation of armed forces is a bogie. What keeps our armed forces a professional, patriotic institution are the men and women that serve in them - their idealism and beliefs. Protests like this lead to a loss of confidence and belief that they have that their country, and countrymen always stand behind them," Rajeev, son a senior Indian Air Force officer and a part of the cause since 2006 within and outside Parliament, said.
Even though the Centre has announced OROP, there are some sticking points which the veterans view with suspicion. "I have urged that remaining veterans call off the agitation and start an engagement with government and vice versa based on mutual trust and respect. Engagement like this is the future way to resolve all further and future welfare issues relating to veterans," he said.
Calling the deep mistrust between the military and bureaucracy a tragic state, the Rajya Sabha MP is of the opinion that it should be rebuilt. "It is one of those things that are tragic. Veterans enjoyed a great amount of trust with this Govt. For reasons that are not clear, there has developed a trust deficit in recent months. That's not a good thing and its best rebuilt - slowly and surely," he added.
During the protest, social media also became a tool for not only seeking support in favour of OROP but a section also targeted the veterans and not only abused them but also tried to create an atmosphere that such people were out to gain political mileage and their demands were not justified.
Rajeev added that people who spread hatred on social media should be ignored. "Social media and indeed regular media often contain views that are based on ignorance and sometimes stupidity. Both ignorance and stupidity are not illegal unfortunately and so to quote US President Barack Obama "when ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't do anything. You let them talk".
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