Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn
    Tuesday, February 7
    Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn RSS
    Nalin Mehta
    • Home
    • The New BJP
    • Books
    • Columns
      • Politics & Current Affairs
      • Sports
      • Media
      • Public Policy
    • Videos
    • Research Articles
    • Media
    • About
    Nalin Mehta
    You are at:Home » Blog » BJP and the soldier
    Politics & Current Affairs

    BJP and the soldier

    Nalin MehtaBy Nalin MehtaAugust 16, 2015Updated:August 17, 2015No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The Prime Minister’s second Independence Day speech from the Red Fort was received differently in different quarters but there is one political constituency where it got a clear thumbs down. A day after shocking images emerged of police action on protesting ex-soldiers agitating for one-rank-one-pension (OROP) at Jantar Mantar in the Capital, defence veterans reacted emotionally to Narendra Modi’s admission that he had so far not been able to fulfil their demand. “No government has been able to fulfil it in the past,” Modi argued, while reiterating that he remained totally committed “in principle”, was hopeful of a just solution and “discussions are still going on”.

    Senior veterans, many with tears in their eyes, crowded TV cameras at Jantar Mantar soon after the speech. As one ex-soldier said: “Why didn’t we get a time frame? Give us an implementation-deadline and we will call off the agitation immediately. We reject this assurance completely.”

    At a time when the demand for OROP has become a test case and metaphor for the soldier’s place in modern India, the police action has further increased the distrust between the veterans and the government. Former Army chief VP Malik, who was earlier specially brought in to mediate in the OROP case but gave up in despair, told a TV channel that it “has complicated matters”.

    For the BJP, this issue is a political hot potato. First, at stake is the PM’s personal credibility. Soon after being anointed the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Modi told an ex-servicemen rally that OROP would have been implemented if the Vajpayee government had been voted back to power in 2004. The PM also told troops in Siachen last October, “it was in my destiny that it (OROP) has been fulfilled.” Finance minister Arun Jaitely even allocated Rs 1,000 crore for OROP in his 2014-15 budget. Yet, 15 months after taking office, the promise remains just that.

    The trust deficit is increasing. As defence analyst Brigadier (retd) V Mahalingam argues: “There is a possibility that OROP may be pushed to the 7th Planning Commission. We will not accept this.”

    BJP spokesperson Aman Sinha has publicly argued that the government remains totally committed but is taking time because it is “putting in place a statutory framework for OROP”. Veterans point out that there is no need for one because the scheme has already been approved. All that is required is allocation of money from the Rs 2,27,000 crore annual defence budget.

    Second, for the BJP which has always prided itself on its emphasis on national security – it has drawn notable party recruits from the top echelons of the armed forces since the 1990s – being targeted by defence veterans is embarrassing. Earlier this week, during a TV debate on OROP, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra attempted to calm tempers by telling former navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash that he was “only a party spokesperson” and “younger than his son”. Admiral Prakash’s response was laconic: “I request Mr Sambit Patra not to appear on television till a decision is taken on OROP. Full stop.”

    Third, four former service chiefs have written to the President of India arguing that the “dismal spectacle” of veterans being driven to agitation “has the potential for inflicting long-term damage to India’s proud and apolitical military ethos”. Today’s soldiers are tomorrow’s veterans and many serving officers are already donating to the agitation. The ex-chiefs point out that “recent developments have not only triggered a process of politicization of the Indian military, but also served to inflict grave damage on its morale and self-esteem”.

    There are 12 lakh veteran families in India and several ex-servicemen groups have announced that if OROP is not implemented they would campaign in the Bihar election. Even as Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was booed by protesting veterans on Friday, several appeared on TV to ask why ex-army officers in the government like Gen VK Singh and Col Rajyavardhan Rathore had not resigned. The anger is fast taking a political edge.

    At the heart of the debate is the question of how the government interprets OROP. As finance minister Arun Jaitely has argued, the problem is that “only the arithmetical translation of the principle because several interpretations are being given which are being worked out”. Veterans insist there is only one interpretation: OROP should be given at 2014 salary rates. As Brig Mahalingam says: “We want OROP in full. Nothing less and nothing else.”

    Army defence military OROP
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleNarendra Modi’s Red Fort fizzle
    Next Article Why housewives back One Rank One Pension
    Nalin Mehta
    • Website
    • Twitter

    Professor Nalin Mehta is Dean, School of Modern Media, UPES; Advisor, Global University Systems and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University Singapore. He is an award-winning social scientist, journalist and author who has held senior leadership positions in major Indian media companies; international financing institutions like the Global Fund in Geneva, Switzerland; taught and held research positions at universities and institutions in Australia (ANU, La Trobe University), Singapore (NUS), Switzerland (International Olympic Museum) and India (IIM Bangalore, Shiv Nadar University).

    Related Posts

    Gujarat Elections: The story behind BJP’s record win and what’s next for Congress

    December 13, 2022

    The Roots of Brand Modi: 5 Reasons Why the BJP Keeps Winning Elections

    December 13, 2022

    In Gujarat elections, a battle of prestige

    December 7, 2022

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Tags
    2002 riots Army Asian Games BJP BSP China Commonwealth Games communal violence Congress corruption Cricket defence Delhi diplomacy education Godhra Gujarat Hindutva hockey Indian Army internal security international relations IPL Kashmir Mayawati media and politics military Modi Narendra Modi Nehru Olympics OROP Pakistan Parliament politics of sports Punjab Rahul Gandhi RBI Rio 2016 television terrorism United States UP Uttar Pradesh West Bengal
    Archives
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    Don't Miss

    Important Statement By RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

    Sangh-bjp Kinship On A Good Wicket

    BJP Creates History In Gujarat

    GujaratElection2022 BJP touches 150 leads! Roots of this victory built on cadre mobilization

    About

    Professor Nalin Mehta is Dean, School of Modern Media, UPES; Advisor, Global University Systems an Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University Singapore. He is an award-winning social scientist, journalist and author who has held senior leadership positions in major Indian digital, print and TV news companies; been a communications expert with international financing institutions and the UN in Geneva, Switzerland; taught and held research positions at universities and institutions in Australia, Singapore, Switzerland and India.

    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn RSS
    Recent Posts

    Important Statement By RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

    February 3, 2023

    Sangh-bjp Kinship On A Good Wicket

    February 3, 2023

    BJP Creates History In Gujarat

    December 13, 2022
    Tweets by ‎@nalinmehta

    Tweets by nalinmehta

    Copyright © 2023
    • Home
    • The New BJP
    • Books
    • Columns
      • Politics & Current Affairs
      • Sports
      • Media
      • Public Policy
    • Videos
    • Research Articles
    • Media
    • About

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.