Press Release
Brinda Karat, member, Polit Bureau of Communist Party of India (Marxist) had visited dharna of defence service pensioners at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi today and after listening the plight of their family members, she wrote the following letter to the Prime Minister.
We are releasing the text of the letter to the press for publication.
(Hari Singh Kang)
For CPI(M) Central Committee office
Dear Shri Narendra Modiji,
A number of wives and family members of defence service pensioners have met me on the OROP issue and narrated their sad plight. Today, August 17, I visited the site of the dharna at Jantar Mantar and was deeply saddened by the words of defence personnel who have served the nation and who today were being forced to sit on indefinite hunger strike. It is a shame on the country that such a situation has developed which makes a mockery of the concept of Jai Jawan. The defence personnel had these questions: "Why is a date not being given for the implementation of a promise made to us by the present Government as well as the previous Government? Have we committed a crime to be beaten by the police on the eve of independence day, yet we have not heard a single word of regret from the Central Government? Does the Government not have a sum of 8,300 crore rupees for those who put their lives in danger for the nation?"
Mr. Prime Minister, the entire country is in solidarity and in support of the immediate implementation of the OROP. There is the widest consensus on this issue across all political parties and across all states. The General Secretary of the CPI(M), Com. SitaramYechury had already written to you on this issue. It is unfortunate that the Government has not stood by the retired personnel when the police manhandled and physically assaulted them on August 14. Kindly depute a Minister to express regret to the personnel on behalf of the Government.
I request you to declare the date by which the OROP will be implemented. I request you to also meet the women family members of the pensioners and hear their sufferings which, I am sure, will move you into urgent action.
-- Brinda Karat, member, Polit Bureau of Communist Party of India (Marxist) had visited dharna of defence service pensioners at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi today and after listening the plight of their family members, she wrote the following letter to the Prime Minister.
We are releasing the text of the letter to the press for publication.
(Hari Singh Kang)
For CPI(M) Central Committee office
Dear Shri Narendra Modiji,
A number of wives and family members of defence service pensioners have met me on the OROP issue and narrated their sad plight. Today, August 17, I visited the site of the dharna at Jantar Mantar and was deeply saddened by the words of defence personnel who have served the nation and who today were being forced to sit on indefinite hunger strike. It is a shame on the country that such a situation has developed which makes a mockery of the concept of Jai Jawan. The defence personnel had these questions: "Why is a date not being given for the implementation of a promise made to us by the present Government as well as the previous Government? Have we committed a crime to be beaten by the police on the eve of independence day, yet we have not heard a single word of regret from the Central Government? Does the Government not have a sum of 8,300 crore rupees for those who put their lives in danger for the nation?"
Mr. Prime Minister, the entire country is in solidarity and in support of the immediate implementation of the OROP. There is the widest consensus on this issue across all political parties and across all states. The General Secretary of the CPI(M), Com. SitaramYechury had already written to you on this issue. It is unfortunate that the Government has not stood by the retired personnel when the police manhandled and physically assaulted them on August 14. Kindly depute a Minister to express regret to the personnel on behalf of the Government.
I request you to declare the date by which the OROP will be implemented. I request you to also meet the women family members of the pensioners and hear their sufferings which, I am sure, will move you into urgent action.
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