Protesting against govt’s OROP provisions, defence veterans to start returning medals

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“In protest against the government notification, we will start returning our medals from tomorrow. On November 10-11, ex-servicemen across the country will start returning their medals. They have already informed the District Magistrates about this,” Group Captain V K Gandhi (retd), general secretary of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM), said.

The government had on Saturday formally notified the OROP scheme for the over 24 lakh ex-servicemen and six lakh war widows in the country, which was rejected by the protesting ex-servicemen.

Parrikar had said earlier in the day that everyone has the right to make a demand in democracy but not all demands can be fulfilled. He said “maximum” demands of the veterans have been fulfilled and that the judicial commission to be set up by the government will look into their “problems”.

In Delhi, the medals will be returned outside Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) tomorrow, Gandhi said, adding selecting crowded places for the purpose was meant to educate the common man about the issue.

The protesting ex-servicemen also met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and briefed him about the OROP notification.

“He called us today and asked us to brief him about the government notification. He has said in coming days he will take up the issue, address press conference and also visit the protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar,” Gandhi said after meeting Kejriwal.