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After failure of OROP talks ex-servicemen to boycot today's war event

by IBNS 28 Aug 2015, 08:35 am

New Delhi, Aug 28 (IBNS) As the hopes for an early breakthrough in OROP deadlock were dashed with failure of talks on Thursday night, ex-servicemen are boycotting celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of India's successes in the 1965 war against Pakistan, media reports said.

The golden jubilee celebrations begin on Friday with a function to mark India's capture of the Haji Pir Pass on August 28, 1965.

On Thursday night,  ex-servicemen negotiating with the government, walked out of a meeting being unable toaccept new new proposals on One Man One Pension scheme. The war veterans were hopeful about an end to the stalemate which came to a naught.


Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would make an announcement "as and when time comes".

The veterans will meet on Thursday to decide how to escalate their protest.
   
The government is said to be upset that more and more veterans are joining the hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, which began after PM Modi failed to announce OROP in his Independence Day speech on August 15.

OROP will give equal pension to servicemen retiring with the same rank regardless of when they retire.