Pics: Umest Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Jul 18: Addressing a press meet here on Friday July 17, senior ex-serviceman, Jerome Castelino revealed that the ex-servicemen will be holding a protest rally on Sunday July 19. The rally will be held at Martyrs’ Memorial near Ajjarkad here demanding ‘one rank one pension’ (OROP).
Castelino said that ex-servicemen of China, USA, UK and France get 65% - 75% pension of their salary after their retirement, but in India the percentage is reduced to 50%. The UPA government made only verbal promises about OROP and now BJP at Central government level is continuing to make a mockery of the issue by declaring empty promises.
Chandrashekhar Suvarna said that all ex-servicemen are disrespected by society. BJP came to power at the center, but even after 15 months there is no hope about implementation of one rank one pension scheme. The politicians have no committment towards betterment of the ex-serviceman’s life. We had positive hopes on the new prime minister Modi, but no decision has been taken as yet on this subject. There is 40% disparity in the pension amount between the ex-servicmen and those of the same rank retiring now. During the UPA government Rs 500 crore had been sectioned towards the welfare of the ex-serviceman.
Therefore the members of the ex-servicemen committee, Udupi unit have decided to stage a protest in order to support Delhi ex-servicemen’s thirty sixth day consecutive protest on July 19 tomorrow.
Ex-serviceman committee president Gilbert Braganza, Ganapayya Sherigar, Ganesh Rao and others were present.