Pushed to defensive position by up in arms ex-servicemen, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday remained non-committal on notifying the ‘One Rank, One Pension’ scheme before the model code of conduct comes into effect.
The young Gandhi scion, who has been given the entire credit for the passage of Bill related to the ‘One Rank, One Pension’ scheme, tried to duck verbal barrage by claiming that he would not take refuge under false promises.
“It’s easy to for me to promise you anything here…but I want to say just one thing that anywhere you need my help, whether the work is big or small, I would be there for you I would help you as much as I can,” said Rahul Gandhi, while addressing around 2,000 ex-servicemen from Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
Rahul was in Chandigarh to attend a function organised by the Congress party units of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh to “thank” the young Congress leader for fulfilling the decades-long pending demand of the Army personnel, serving or retired, to implement the ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme.
Colonel BS Waraich, speaking on the behalf of the Army men, put forth the demand of notifying the ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme, besides the timeframe
implementation, and setting up of a monitoring cell for the same.
The 84-year-old Colonel submitted the “doubts and concerns” of the ex-servicemen community over the carrying out of the One Rank, One Pension scheme. “Firstly, there are some doubts in the mind of the ex-servicemen community and for that we have some recommendations. Government should issue its notification as soon as possible and before the model code of conduct was implemented,” said Col Waraich.
He added, “Secondly, there should be timeframe progress of the scheme…that is, it should be given before June 30, 2014, and all arrears and if there’s any problem related to that should be sorted out by September 30, 2014.”
“And thirdly, a monitoring cell should be set up in the ministry of defence with representatives of finance, defence ministries and all three service headquarters. Monthly progress report should be given to all,” he added.
Not promising anything at this stage, Rahul Gandhi asked the fraternity to wait and watch. “In the next five to 10 years, things would be clear to you, said he. Earlier, Rahul said that instead of soldiers thanking the Government, and particularly him, they are thankful to them for their “sacrifices”, saying that the decision was taken by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and he only contributed a little. “I want to congratulate you all… Just now when I was meeting you all, one officer thanked me and I corrected him right then that we are thankful to him, and all the ex-servicemen present here who have given us their life…their sweat…their blood,” said Rahul.
He repeatedly stressed that instead of many technical difficulties, that led to delay in this decision, the Congress has taken this decision “from heart”.