Congress accuses government of denying OROP to ex-servicemen, says it is now 'One Rank, Five Pensions'
Mar 16, 2022
New Delhi [India], March 17 : The Congress on Wednesday accused the Centre of not presenting full facts before the Supreme Court in the case concerning One Rank, One Pension (OROP) and said the BJP-led had "refused to implement" the order issued by Congress-led UPA government in 2014.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala accused the BJP government of "betraying" the interests of ex-servicemen and posed some questions.
"OROP Denied - it is now "One Rank, Five Pensions"! Ex Servicemen and Armed Forces betrayed by our own Govt, which opposed right of persons holding the same rank, with the same length of service to get same pension, irrespective of date of retirement," Surejwala said in a tweet.
"PM and Raksha Mantri ji, Pl answer - 1. Why did you deny and oppose #OROP in Supreme Court? 2. Why are you refusing to implement the order dated 24th April, 2014 issued by UPA-Cong Govt giving OROP?" he added.
He said the BJP-led government had "rejected Koshiyari Committee recommendations on OROP before Supreme Court.
" Why did you disown (then) Finance Minister P Chidambaram's speech of Feb 17,2014 in Parliament endorsing Koshiyari Committee, in the Supreme Court?" he asked.
Surjewala said the government had told the Supreme Court that the Minutes of Meeting of February 26, 2014 chaired by then Defence Minister A K Antony "didn't constitute a decision of the government".
"Why was this done before Court to deny relief to armed forces?"he asked.
He asked if the promise of OROP "made with much bravado in Uttrakhand-U.P-Punjab a mere facade for vote-catching and to be denied in Supreme Court?"
He said the government should implement OROP as per UPA-Congress Govt's decision of April 24, 2014.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that there was no constitutional infirmity in the One Rank One Pension policy introduced by the government.
A three-judge Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant and Vikram Nath said that definition, as argued by the petitioner, is not found to be arbitrary.
The Court said that it does not find any constitutional infirmity on the OROP principle and the notification dated November 7, 2015.
The Court disposed of the petition filed by the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement seeking implementation of OROP in the defence forces. The petitioner had questioned the Central government's notification dated November 7, 2015.
