Sir — As an ardent supporter of Mr Narendra Modi, it pains me to see that he has betrayed the support of ex-Servicemen including me, and also shaken the confidence of all serving and retired Armed Forces personnel. The harsh police treatment to veterans demanding one-rank-one-pension at Jantar Mantar on August 14 was disgraceful.
Mr Modi should have been gracious enough to visit Jantar Mantar before his Independence Day speech for an informal interaction to bring the protesting congregation into his confidence and give them a firm deadline for the implementation of OROP. Instead, Mr Modi has given the impression that he can’t control the bureaucracy which finds any benefits for soldiers unacceptable and is, therefore, stalling OROP.
Mr Modi should immediately sanction the OROP at least for the non-commissioned ranks as they face severe financial hardship. The officer-class will not mind waiting provided a firm date for implementation is given by the Prime Minister.