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PM Modi clarifies on OROP, army veterans' hunger strike called off but stir still on
New Delhi, Sept 7 (IBNS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clarified that servicemen who have taken early retirement will be eligible to receive the benefits of the One Rank One Pension scheme, but the protesting army veterans have said they will call off stir only after all there demands are met.
Speaking at a rally in Faridabad, PM Modi said, "80 per cent people in the army work in junior posts, fight from the front lines and have to retire after 15 or 20 years... They will be among the first to get the benefits."
Ex-servicemen who have been disabled in the line of duty will also get the benefits. "People are being misled about the government position on OROP and VRS," PM Modi said.
At Delhi's Jantar Mantar, the 14 protesters who have been on indefinite hunger strike, have called it off. However, media reports has quoted Major General (Retd) Satbir Singh, who is leading the ex-servicemen's association, as saying that the stir will be on till all their demands are met.
"We will get back to hunger strike till death if the government does not approve our demands," he said. Major General Singh, however, thanked the Prime Minister for his clarification on the early retirees.
The veterans demand pension equalisation every year, instead of every five years as announced by the government. They also demand 2014 as the base year for salary calculation instead of 2013 as suggested by the government. They do not agree about the composition of the judicial board.
The veterans, who have been protest for 88 days, said they were organising a rally, the Gaurav rally, on September 12.
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