After doling out one rank one pension (OROP) to defence personnel, Modi government may have to brace up for a similar demand from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
After doling out one rank one pension (OROP) to defence personnel, Modi government may have to brace up for a similar demand from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
Monitoring the OROP developments closely, several CAPF veterans felt that they are more worthy of the scheme than the defence personnel who bear the brunt only during the wartime unlike them who are in perpetual battle mode on the border and in counter-insurgency operations.
Feeling anguished, former IG of Border Security Force, Srinivasan said, "The Army should have taken CAPFs along with them. Some of the ex-servicemen have done harm to the unity of forces by saying that army is better than the CAPFs."
Srinivasan also said that the first line of defence is always the BSF or ITBP on the border and is ahead of the army positions and fight on equal footing during war besides defending the borders 24X7, when the Army takes the role only during wartime."
"Only one-third army belonging to infantry or armoured division goes to the border but the one rank one pension is applicable to all the wings of the Army. Why? What is wrong with us? Are not we equally important if not more? But we will not come out on the road and will choose recourse through courts," he said.
A serving DIG-level officer in Central Reserve Police Force said, "This is not equality. We bear most casualties overall, even during so-called peacetime we suffer and die in operations in Naxal-affected areas and in the northeast. If one can count the numbers, we have produced maximum martyrs. Unlike the army officers, there is no golf-playing club life for us. There is no doubt that the government should keep us at parity with defence forces personnel."
A young deputy commandant, who joined the ITBP in 2005, said that despite being equally battle worthy, the ITBP personnel serve in more hostile areas than army with fewer provisions and yet they were handed over New Pension Scheme in 2004.
"How can you call it justice when we have to contribute for our pension from own pockets and the army gets OROP on a platter. Our veterans should also go on agitation mode," he said.
A few officers warned that the different treatment meted through OROP can have an adverse fall as there is a clear divide between Army and CAPFs.
"On the field, this will have an adverse effect," said an officer.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Now, paramilitary forces set their eyes on OROP")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}