What Shape and Form will the OROP Take ? Serious issues are Involved

OROP is at last approved and all thanks to Mr Narendra Modi who has literally caught the bull by the horns. If not for him, OROP would never have seen the light of day. I have all praise for the Ex Servicemens Association Office bearers like  General Satbir Singh who fought so hard for the servicemen, particularly retired personnel.

lieutenant general TS Bahri is another man who must be congratulated for calling a spade a spade and fearlessly writing to the Defence Minster on matters concerning OROP.  The general in one of his letters had raised a pertinent point that officers from the service headquarters are not being incorporated in working out the tables and other matters for implementation of OROP. The general also spoke to the army chief on telephone.  As per information conveyed by General Bahri, the army Chief told him that he and other chiefs were seized of the matter and had been assured that there would be no dilution of OROP.

I am afraid I cannot play ball with such bland replies. The point at issue is why are the officers from the service Headquarters not being consulted about the tables being worked out by the MOD? How come the chief was content and satisfied with a simple assurance that justice in OROP will be done? After all the solution to a problem has different perceptions. How does the COAS feel that the perception of the civilians in the MOD is what is in the minds of military personnel. The general knows that a simple twist in wordings can wreak havoc in the final outcome. We saw this happen in the rank pay imbroglio  nearly 2 decades back. How is the COAS sure that such a ruse may not again be played on the soldiers? it is possible the MOD personnel are sincere, but the principle of ignoring the men in uniform is wrong.

I am afraid the general staff is unable to exert itself and that is very sad. The chief should not have been satisfied with mere assurances, but insisted that military personnel be incorporated in the preparation of the tables and other matter. It should not happen that the approval of Narendra Modi is circumnavigated by the MOD. One can't blame Modi for it, but our own Chiefs of staff of all the 3 services who are just looking for a escape route and say they are satisfied with assurances.  Its about time somebody put his foot down, but who will it be ? Not this present lot and earlier staff who just sat in the chairs and went away. To make a name in history one has to rise above the ordinary. I wonder when such a chief of army will emerge.