OROP is a demand that is hanging fire for over 3 decades. The ex servicemen have been waging a relentless campaign for it, but as it goes it is like the elusive holy grail, the cup from which Jesus had his last meal. Many have searched for it, but it was never found.
Finally after 3 decades it appeared that OROP would see the light of the day especially after a public address by the army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag to ex - servicemen at Rewari in Haryana on 14 March 15. The COAS announced its approval and imminent sanction by end April.
April has come and gone,and the elusive government letter not issued. In this connection one is reminded of the announcents of the RM Mr.Pannikar, who also announced that OROP will be a reality. The hope for final approval of this demand was kindled by the campaign of Narendra Modi, who repeatedly announced that OROP would be a reality.
I have earlier written that most ex servicemen are naive and take things at face value, while in reality wheels turn within wheels. The demand is nowhere near fulfilment and the stumbling block appears to be the Finance Minister Adun Jaitley.
I don't think Jaitley single hand is stalling this demand and maybe he has the tacit approval of Modi himself. The PM has withdrawn from the debate and is busy in foreign tours. Could he not find time to instruct Jaitley to press on with sanction of OROP as promised? I am afraid there are no clear answers and one thing is clear the BJP government is not keen at the present juncture to approve OROP. What I fail to understand is, how Modi and BJP made it part of their manifesto. Why did Modi start his election campaign with this promise to a rally in Haryana?
The BJP is no different from the Congress and I have a gut feeling that the FM is keen to put the demand on the back burner and put it as part of the reference to the 7th pay commission. Again if this happens, Modi is the man who would have approved it. So let's have no rosy ideas of this man. He is a hard boiled politician and can backtrack anytime.
What next? The soldier is a neglected man in India and the COAS a cipher. What do the ex soldiers do now? All I can hope is that Modi will realise the law of Dharma and act accordingly. Dharma is an amorphous concept but means truth, promise and equality. Is Modi up to it?
Finally after 3 decades it appeared that OROP would see the light of the day especially after a public address by the army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag to ex - servicemen at Rewari in Haryana on 14 March 15. The COAS announced its approval and imminent sanction by end April.
April has come and gone,and the elusive government letter not issued. In this connection one is reminded of the announcents of the RM Mr.Pannikar, who also announced that OROP will be a reality. The hope for final approval of this demand was kindled by the campaign of Narendra Modi, who repeatedly announced that OROP would be a reality.
I have earlier written that most ex servicemen are naive and take things at face value, while in reality wheels turn within wheels. The demand is nowhere near fulfilment and the stumbling block appears to be the Finance Minister Adun Jaitley.
I don't think Jaitley single hand is stalling this demand and maybe he has the tacit approval of Modi himself. The PM has withdrawn from the debate and is busy in foreign tours. Could he not find time to instruct Jaitley to press on with sanction of OROP as promised? I am afraid there are no clear answers and one thing is clear the BJP government is not keen at the present juncture to approve OROP. What I fail to understand is, how Modi and BJP made it part of their manifesto. Why did Modi start his election campaign with this promise to a rally in Haryana?
The BJP is no different from the Congress and I have a gut feeling that the FM is keen to put the demand on the back burner and put it as part of the reference to the 7th pay commission. Again if this happens, Modi is the man who would have approved it. So let's have no rosy ideas of this man. He is a hard boiled politician and can backtrack anytime.
What next? The soldier is a neglected man in India and the COAS a cipher. What do the ex soldiers do now? All I can hope is that Modi will realise the law of Dharma and act accordingly. Dharma is an amorphous concept but means truth, promise and equality. Is Modi up to it?
No comments:
Post a Comment