New Delhi [India], Nov 13 : Coming down heavily on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the government over the death of ex-servicemen protesting over the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Raj Kadyan on Sunday said that the former refused to offer any assistance when he approached him on the issue.
Lt. General (Retd.) Kadyan said that Gandhi instead asked him to approach the government. "We have been trying for OROP for very very long time. In 2008, I founded an organisation 'Indian ex-serviceman movement' in which I am the chairman till date.
I met all political leaders of different parties. I also went to meet Rahul Gandhi..he was in a great hurry, we met him for two to three minutes. I told him that we have come here to seek help for the OROP issue. He asked us if we had approached the government," Lt. General (Retd.) Kadyan said. "When I said the government is not willing to help, Rahul said even he won't be able to help in this matter.
There is nothing to help and you need to ask the government. Then he said that he cannot help us. I brought this fact to light now because the OROP has again become political football. OROP is a very sensitive and complicated issue. 85 percent people have already got the benefits, but some shortcomings are still there. Some people are still not satisfied," he added. Gandhi last week accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of lying on the OROP issue while insisting that what the retired defence personnel were now getting was enhanced pension.
Gandhi said that OROP was the right of military personnel and the government "will have to give it". "What PM says is One Rank-One Pension is actually pension enhancement and not OROP. PM should stop lying on the issue," he said..
Source: ANI
