OROP: Fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar enters 4th day

The fast-unto-death being held by two protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar in Delhi demanding early implementation of the long-pending 'One Rank, One Pension' scheme entered its fourth day on Thursday.

"They are still on fast and their condition is okay," said Col (retd) Anil Kaul, media adviser to the United Front of Ex-Servicemen Movement. Col (retd) Pushpender Singh and Havildar (retd) Major Singh had undertaken the indefinite fast from August 17. They were joined by Havildar Ashok Chauhan the next day.

Representatives of the ex-servicemen, who have been protesting for the last 67 days, are likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week.

Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the scheme, which envisages a uniform pension for defence personnel who retire in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.

Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations of the time when he or she retired. So, a Major General who retired in 1996 draws a lower pension than a Lieutenant Colonel who retired after 1996.