<div>Notwithstanding "advice" from Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to put off their stir, a third veteran today joined the fast-unto-death by ex-servicemen as part of the agitation to press for implementation of 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP) scheme.<div><br /></div><div>"Havildar Ashok Chauhan has also gone on fast-unto-death in support of OROP. Those at Jantar Mantar have tried to dissuade him, but he is not relenting," Col Anil Kaul (Retd), media advisor to United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM), said on the second day of the hunger strike.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stepping up agitation on OROP, a fast-unto-death was launched by two of the protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar yesterday.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, in a statement UFESM said their advisory council had met Parrikar on August 16 at his residence.</div><div><br /></div><div>"He advised to postpone fast-unto-death till August 24 as he would meet with the Prime Minister on August 23 and would attempt to get the solution to this vexed problem," the statement said.</div><div><br /></div><div>It added that the advisory council had counseled the veterans to delay the fast-unto-death, but "they were so charged up and determined because of total neglect of Government to ESM problems that they started the indefinite fast".</div><div><br /></div><div>"Their anger was further fuelled by the action of government, police and NDMC in manhandling the senior and old veterans protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar," the statement said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The ex-servicemen have demanded that an FIR be lodged against the defaulting policemen and officials.</div><div><br /></div><div>They demanded "suspension of the officer who had ordered this barbaric crack down on peacefully agitating ex-servicemen". </div></div>
<div>Notwithstanding "advice" from Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to put off their stir, a third veteran today joined the fast-unto-death by ex-servicemen as part of the agitation to press for implementation of 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP) scheme.<div><br /></div><div>"Havildar Ashok Chauhan has also gone on fast-unto-death in support of OROP. Those at Jantar Mantar have tried to dissuade him, but he is not relenting," Col Anil Kaul (Retd), media advisor to United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM), said on the second day of the hunger strike.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stepping up agitation on OROP, a fast-unto-death was launched by two of the protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar yesterday.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, in a statement UFESM said their advisory council had met Parrikar on August 16 at his residence.</div><div><br /></div><div>"He advised to postpone fast-unto-death till August 24 as he would meet with the Prime Minister on August 23 and would attempt to get the solution to this vexed problem," the statement said.</div><div><br /></div><div>It added that the advisory council had counseled the veterans to delay the fast-unto-death, but "they were so charged up and determined because of total neglect of Government to ESM problems that they started the indefinite fast".</div><div><br /></div><div>"Their anger was further fuelled by the action of government, police and NDMC in manhandling the senior and old veterans protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar," the statement said.</div><div><br /></div><div>The ex-servicemen have demanded that an FIR be lodged against the defaulting policemen and officials.</div><div><br /></div><div>They demanded "suspension of the officer who had ordered this barbaric crack down on peacefully agitating ex-servicemen". </div></div>