95% Army veterans happy with OROP implementation, Oppn politicising issue: Manohar Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that only 4-5 percent of retired Army men are facing problems in getting their pension as per One Rank One Pension (OROP).

New Delhi: As politics over the ex-serviceman's suicide continues, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday said that only four to five percent of retired Army men are facing problems in getting their pension as per One Rank, One Pension (OROP) and the mater will be resolved in next two months.

"At least 95 percent of ex-servicemen have already received the benefit of OROP. While those who have yet not received the revised pensions are very old pensioners, probably from 1962 war. So, records are incomplete," Manohar Parrikar, who addressed the media over OROP row today, said.

"We are in the process of completing the records of these rest 4-5 percent and it will be done in the next two months," Parrikar said.

Hitting out at Opposition parties for causing uproar after an ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal committed suicide over the delay in One Rank, One Pension scheme, Parrikar said, "Parties who are in opposition are politicizing OROP issue. Army men are very happy with OROP implementation. At least 95 percent of army veterans who have received the benefits of OROP are very happy."

"Those who have become politicians, those who have formed a political party... Even in our party there are ex-servicemen politicians, as is the case with other political parties too. They think like politicians and not like ex-soldiers. I cannot discuss about them," Parrikar said to a query about the politicisation of the OROP issue.

"So, if they (ex-servicemen associations) are satisfied, then the rest who indulge in politics, I cannot satisfy them. I can assure you and you can go to the ex- servicemen," he said, adding that he was in constant touch with ex-servicemen and working actively to overcome the obstacles they face.

"...the 1962 war was 54 years back. There are 1965 war (with Pakistan) pensioners, 1971 war pensioners and many who are family pensioners. Their old records are not available with the pensions department," he said.

Parrikar said that his ministry was working at alternative ways to help bring these four to five per cent former soldiers under the OROP umbrella, by gleaning their service details from other records and by getting them to sign affidavits about their service tenure. They would get the OROP benefits over the next two months, he added.