"ONE RANK ONE PENSION" LEADERSHIP IS THE CAPACITY TO TRANSLATE VISION INTO REALITY.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Indian Defence Force Veteran Fraternity, I as an Indian Army Officer, (though today I benefit from the present OROP form, I write for those who wont); am now treading on the OROP minefield, taking the risk, to attempt to explain, to clarify and to expose the hidden anomaly and weakness of “Koshiyari Committee Report”; Clearance of OROP by the “Two Parliaments” and the present “ESM Leadership”, who in their exuberance of achieving somehow success, are inadvertently “ Placing Themselves Into Misleading The ESM, By Promising Them Something They Know To Be Untrue”. About this hard, harsh and heartbreaking truth, the entire ESM brotherhood, the ESM agitators and the ESM on Relay Hunger Strike including Three Honorable Veterans on Fast unto Death wef 16 Aug; are unaware, unconscious and probably want to remain unconcerned, about the actual facts, the factual inside, which is going to severely affect, if OROP is allotted in its present form and will further deteriorate their peace and health; the step would be irrevocable, thereafter leaving Veterans to approach the Sanctity of Judiciary as the only option to resolve the large scale OROP painful anomaly.
“The Truth May Hurt For A Little While, But A Lie Hurts Forever”. “Veterans” the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modji, has clearly foreseen the biggest shortfall in the present definition of the OROP. The leaders in ESM leadership, I am sure are well aware and conscious of all the facts? Surprising therefore, why other ESM members seem to be in total darkness about these glaring lacuna's?
The biggest bone of contention in the OROP as its stand in the present form is the edifice on which it has been based and built, “The Rank And The Length of Service In That Rank”. The "Koshiyari Committee Report" says, in Armed Forces, Equality in Service has two components, namely, Rank and Length of Service. The importance of Rank is inherent in Armed Forces as it has been granted by the President of India and signifies command, control and responsibility in consonance with ethos of service. Hence, Two Armed Personnel in the Same Rank and Equal Length of Service should get Same Pension Irrespective of Date of Retirement and any future enhancement in rates of pension be automatically passed on to the past pensioners. How very innocent and simple it looks, the Koshiyari Report also felt so, more so the committee was unaware of Army, Navy and Air Force rank intricacies. Now, the Senior and Old Veterans, who have retired much earlier, do not realize that during their time an Officer was promoted to the Rank of Major after 13 years of service, Lt Col after a Competitive Selection Board on 18 to 19 years of service and Col after a Competitive Selection Board much later. Whereas now, an Officer without any hitch or competition becomes a Major in 5 years of Service, Lt Col in time bound promotion in 13 years of service, a Col in 26 years of service. In Navy, generally smooth sailing is till Brig equivalent, and AF somewhat similar as Army. Therefore the majority of Officers, earlier retired in the Rank of a Major, and maximum as Lt Col, whereas today all Officers Retire as Col and equivalent. . Similarly promotions of PBOR, during earlier days; were delayed and late, large percentage of PBOR retired in the Rank of Sepoy, whereas now almost all PBOR attain the rank of Havaldar before retiring.
Now what Modiji is saying? the “Mathematical glitch”; An earlier Veteran who has retired as a Major, inspite of putting 30 years of service, will get maximum pension of today’s equivalent Major’s service till 13 years, because on 13th year the present Major gets promoted to a Lt Col. Nobody retires as Major today. Similarly earlier Veteran who has retired as Lt Col, inspite putting 30 or more year’s service in that rank, will only get maximum pension of today’s equivalent Lt Col service till 26 years, because on 26th years of service, the present Lt Col gets promoted to a Col. Nobody retires as Lt Col today.
What Modji, is saying, if OROP is Approved and Granted in its Present Flawed Form, the large number of Veterans, will not benefit, because as per Koshiyari Committee Report, OROP is Same Rank and Equal Length of Service in that Rank. This aspect, respected Veteran “Ladies and Gentlemen” Modji could not visualize when he inherited the flawed OROP Agenda from the Congress, the UPA Govt. The other Two Issues of contention in the OROP, First; is payment of OROP dues with Retrospective Date and the Second; decision on Cut of Date, April 2011/ April 2014. Now the Retrospective issue is again highly contentious, firstly no documents of Older Veterans are available in the Archives of the Defence Forces, making it difficult to realize the exact amount due to each individual veteran, the total arrears as per rough estimate, without proper input available; is colossal, and may run into many thousands crore. The total stated figure of OROP Rs 8300/ crore is a misnomer, the author of this hypothetical figure remaining obscure.
“TRUTH IS POWERFUL AND IT PREVAILS” Unfortunately the leadership of OROP is in the hands of Officers who are already into OROP, and are therefore oblivious of the danger and pain which the Veterans will realize, if OROP is implemented in the present flawed form, resulting in large number of litigation and agitations. Gentlemen, do we have the courage to assure The PM Shri Narendra Modiji, that no one will approach the Judiciary, knock the doors of the Court, once the OROP in its present form is implemented; in order to get and demand what we are not understanding and foreseeing today.
THE NAKED TRUTH IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN THE BEST DRESSED LIE. I know the OROP atmosphere is highly charged, volatile and the Veterans are in no mood to relent to any logic. The issue is now further precipitated by our Three Respected Honorable Veterans deciding to go on Indefinite Hunger Strike. Respected brother Veterans inspite of these facts, we need to rationally think and study the entire report, individually; to exactly know what we are demanding and will be individually getting. Fortunately, Modji is favorably disposed towards the Armed Forces, and we should make the best of the situation, kindly do not get into rhetoric, and take decision on emotions. Like, today I benefit from the OROP, but after 2 years, when the Rank of Brigadier is made time bound, after 28 years all to be promoted; I would regret accepting the OROP in the Present Form. Respected Veterans, I do not claim all correctness in my claim, in my argument, but I have the Courage to request you all, especially at a time; when the atmosphere is not conducive for any suggestion. Dear Veterans, “The First Step To Get What We Want Is Having The Courage To Get Rid Of What We Don’t.”