On 11 November, military veterans returned their war and other medals at various places in Haryana and Punjab to register their protest against the "diluted" notification of the One Rank One Pension scheme.
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar said, "Ex-servicemen protesting over One Rank One Pension (OROP) notification were misguided and that they should approach a judicial commission being set up as part of the scheme to discuss the issue further", on Tuesday.
"My major job was to get OROP notification issued which I have done. They must approach the commission to discuss further problems."
In Panchkula, adjoining Chandigarh, the veterans returned their medals to the Panchkula Deputy Commissioner to protest against the OROP notification issued by the central government. The veterans said that they had rejected the OROP notified by the Narendra Modi government. The defence veterans said that they will observe a 'Black Diwali' this time to protest against the Modi government going back on its assurances.
"It's their democratic right (to protest), but I think they are misguided. If at all they have grievance, they (ex-servicemen) should put it before the judicial commission we are appointing," Parrikar added.
The government has decided to appoint a judicial committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP. The Judicial Committee will submit its report in six months.
