We want ‘One Rank, One Pension’ as passed by UPA govt: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday urged the Centre to implement ‘One Rank, One Pension’ in the same form which was approved by its United Progressive Alliance government earlier.

Colonel (retd) Rohit Chaudhry, head of the party’s ex-servicemen department, alleged that the government was weakening the soldiers and military institutions.

“We have only one demand ‘One Rank, One Pension’ (OROP). OROP was passed in both the Houses under our government, but it has been made into a joke by the Modi government,” he said.

Chaudhary claimed that the central government has waived the loan of more than Rs 14 lakh crore of its capitalist friends, but it does not have money to give to the military.

“We want the ‘One Rank, One Pension’ which was passed by the UPA government to be implemented fully. We do not want any discrepancy in ‘One Rank, One Pension’. We should be given the same pension disability pension’ as before,” he said.

He accused the government of mistreating veterans.

“The ex-servicemen of the country have given their youth to the country. Today, if someone is 70 years old, 80 years old, 90 years old, taking care of him, treating him, taking cognisance of his health condition is the basic responsibility of the country,” he said.