Col DPK Pillay (Retd)
THE euphoria of 1971, a year that saw India achieve its most decisive military victory in generations, was short-lived for the nation’s armed forces. While the country celebrated the triumph, a grave injustice was brewing within the corridors of power.
The year 1973 would forever be etched in the memory of India’s soldiers as a year of profound disappointment. This was the gratitude shown to those who had sacrificed their youth, endured unimaginable hardships, and risked their lives to secure a historic victory for the nation. With the stroke of a pen, the Indira Gandhi Government dealt a devastating blow, slashing pensions from 70 per cent to a paltry 50 per cent of the last drawn salary. It was a harsh blow to the very heroes who had brought the nation such glory.
Arduous struggle
The act marked the beginning of a long and arduous struggle for One Rank One Pension (OROP) – the fundamental principle that soldiers of the same rank and service tenure should receive the same pension, regardless of their date of retirement. It was a fight for fairness, for recognition, and for the dignity of those who had dedicated their lives to protecting the nation.
The wound inflicted in 1973 festered, and the sense of injustice deepened in 1986 when the Rajiv Gandhi Government introduced the Rank Pay system. This complex and opaque system further eroded pensions, creating disparities and leaving veterans feeling cheated and undervalued. The message was clear: their sacrifices were expendable, their service a mere bargaining chip in the game of politics.
What followed were decades of agonising wait, filled with broken promises and dashed hopes. Political parties, eager to capitalise on the growing discontent among veterans, made grand pronouncements about OROP during election campaigns, only to conveniently forget their pledges once in power. Veterans were forced to watch as their pleas for justice fell on deaf ears, their sacrifices seemingly forgotten by the very nation they had served.
In 2011, the Koshiyari Committee, a parliamentary panel, acknowledged the legitimacy of the OROP demand and recommended its implementation. This provided a glimmer of hope, but it wasn’t until 2014, with the BJP Government coming to power, that the OROP finally seemed within reach.
The Narendra Modi Government implemented OROP in 2015, fulfilling a long-standing promise. This was a landmark moment, bringing a sense of validation to millions of veterans.
Since its implementation, OROP has undergone two revisions. These revisions are aimed at addressing concerns about pension discrepancies and ensuring that veterans receive fair and equitable benefits. Veterans’ sacrifices The journey of OROP in India reflects the commitment to recognising the sacrifices of its veterans and not a lip service raised during election seasons. While the 2015 implementation was a significant milestone, the subsequent revisions demonstrate the ongoing effort to refine and improve the OROP scheme.
Ensuring timely revisions and maintaining continuous dialogue with veterans are crucial steps towards fulfilling the true spirit of OROP. It’s a matter of national obligation to ensure that those who dedicated their lives to serving the nation receive the respect and financial security they deserve, which the Modi Government has done.
