Government Panics as Ex-Servicemen Stir Escalates

NEW DELHI: The sudden escalation in the ex-servicemen’s stir for One Rank One Pension has made the government sit up suddenly and take notice. The police crackdown on the military veterans demonstrating peacefully at Jantar Mantar along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “empty” Independence Day speech without any concrete assurance on OROP has made the fence sitters join the protest across the country.

Two letters signed by formers Chiefs of the three defence services urging the government to implement the longstanding demand of the military veterans, strong articles castigating PM Modi for reneging on promises, and a flood of comments on the social media has clearly worried the government that was initially hoping that the stir would subside. And the remnants could be then dealt with a sterner hand.

Delhi police that had cracked down on the military veterans, removing them from the site in the name of ‘security’ that led to agitated protest has now been made to apologise to them, at least three days after the event. The Prime Ministers Office that had chosen to ignore the sit-in at Jantar Mantar for several weeks has now opened talks with the military veterans, with Principal Secretary to the PM Nripendra Misra having the first set of talks with them. He is reported to have told them that he will get back after ten days, with the sources not very clear whether this was the time indicated to return with a concrete announcement, or just to announce another time frame for it.

Sources are of the view that the government is keen to bring in a settlement before the Bihar elections. More so as several ex-servicemen have indicated a negative vote for the BJP in the forthcoming polls in the state. The figure supposedly coming in the way of government approval for OROP is Rs 5000 crores with the government now increasingly of the view that the year for retrospective payments of pensions should be fixed at 2014. And not the earlier years as demanded by the military veterans in the past.

Various intermediaries have emerged from the side of the military to broker an agreement with the government that is acceptable to both sides. The current Army chief General Dalbir Singh is of course very involved in the rapprochement process underway with the PMO, while former Army Chief General V.P.Singh was also negotiating between the two sides till recently. However, this is the first serious effort, according to sources, to break the ice and bring back this powerful constituency on the side of the government.

Initially, the government based on its own assessment had clearly under-estimated the protest, taking the view that after the first flush it would subside. That it did not came as a surprise, according to the sources, more so as several top officers of the defence services came out in full support. The police action was the last straw and has united all retired military personnel into what is now a major protest, strong enough to shake any government at the centre and in the states.

Two senior retired personnel have gone on hunger strike, with a email and appeals being circulated for signatures to urge them to desist. More so, as they are senior and their colleagues are worried about the impact the hunger strike might have on their health. The second letter signed by ten former military chiefs also includes those currently working for the BJP’s Vivekananda Institute that was earlier led by Ajit Doval who is now the National Security Advisor. This too has come as a surprise to the government, as clearly with the escalation it is becoming impossible for the fence sitters to remain there.

The government has again reiterated its commitment to OROP, as did PM Modi as well. But this has not enthused the protesters who want the government to set a time frame for the implementation if for any reason it cannot come with a concrete proposal immediately. The anger is palpable, although the responses vary. There is one group that believes the government has no choice but to implement OROP, there is another that is as certain that the government is looking for a way out and point to the police attack as a ‘deliberate’ sign of this, and then of course there is a third group that feels there will be an announcement but will fall far short of the demand.

All eyes now are on the PMO, and on Nripendra Misra when he emerges ten days later.

Meanwhile the Congress and the Left have supported the protests. CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat has written to the Prime Minister asking for urgent action, and expressing solidarity for the ex-servicemen and their families. The Congress party has also supported the protests, although given its own poor track record on the OROP demand it has not been particularly welcomed by the protesters. However, vice president Rahul Gandhi continues tweeting his support for the military veterans. The BJP, of course, has maintained a distance looking at PM Modi for direction.