BJP to use OROP to boost its chances in Bihar Assembly polls

With an eye on the Bihar polls, the BJP quickly patted itself for the announcement of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, saying it was only the Narendra Modi government that had the “courage” to implement the scheme that the veterans deserve.

After some veterans called on party chief Amit Shah to thank the party and the government, he  “thanked” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “congratulated” Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Shah said Modi had fulfilled the commitment he made to ex-servicemen and provided them with economic security while the Congress had only played a “joke” on them when it was in power.

Shah said the pension of ex-servicemen was decreased by its government in the 1970s and slammed the allocation of only Rs 500 crore for the OROP by the previous UPA government in the 2014 budget. “In 1973, their pension was reduced from 70 per cent to 50 per cent (of salary) and the demand for OROP has been hanging fire since.... The previous Congress government in its last moments made an allocation of Rs 500 crore for it and this was a joke with servicemen,” Shah told reporters.

Recalling that it was Modi’s poll promise during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, he said the prime minister had fulfilled it now. Shah underlined that the decision would come into effect from the time Modi came to power from July 2014. “Every year, Rs 9,000-10,000 crore more will go to the ex-servicemen. The Modi government has given economic security to them as well as the serving personnel who will retire later. The BJP hails the prime minister for this,” he said.

Other Union ministers led by Venkaiah Naidu said the basic demand of the veterans have been met. “They should end their agitation and join the government in discussion,” he said.

“It is a tribute to the people who are at the forefront, guarding the security of the country. I appeal to the veterans to give up their agitation and join the government in discussions,” Naidu said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi deserves all the compliments for the same. He took personal interest and the defence minister and  finance minister worked hard. We are happy that we are able to resolve this issue,” the BJP leader said.

He also accused the Congress of criticising the announcement. “It’s the Congress’s passion to criticise the government for everything, forgetting that they have not been able to fulfill this responsibility while in power. Ten years in office is not an ordinary time. What have they done? They just make announcements,” he added.