Congress urges Ex-Servicemen to take up cause as they await pension

The Congress on Wednesday reacted sharply to reports that pensions of retired ex-servicemen have been stopped.

The comments followed Lieutenant General DS Hooda (Retd) tweet which read: "Veterans complaining of pension stopped without explanation. For most, this is the only source of income. Is this how the we say 'Thank you for your service to the nation'? Request @rajnathsingh to intervene."

Responding to it, Randeep Surjewala, Congress General Secretary replied,"This is not the first assault on interests of Armed Forces, nor is it the last.- Denial of OROP, including opposing it in Supreme Court. Taxing the Disability Pension. Cutting ECHS Budget. Denial of Non Functional Upgrade. Denying Short Service Commission Officers treatment in Military Hospitals."

Urging the Army veterans to take up the cause, he said: "I urge decorated champions like you, @Vedmalik1, @rwac48 & other leading veterans to take up the cause of our Ex-Servicemen in a bi-partisan fashion and ensure justice is done."

He added: "Injustice in 7th Pay Commission- Denial of Pay Level & Risk Allowance akin to Civilians. Denying allocation of Petrol Pumps/Gas Agencies/Coal India Contracts for rehabilitation of Ex Servicemen. Curbs on Purchase of Items in CSD Canteens & imposing GST".

"Ex Servicemen & Armed Forces betrayed by our own Govt, which opposed right of persons holding the same rank, with the same length of service to get same pension, irrespective of the date of retirement," the party had said.

Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said in Hindi: "After the deception of 'One Rank, One Pension', now the Modi government is adopting the policy of 'All Rank, No Pension'."

Insulting soldiers is an insult to the country. The government should give the pension of ex-servicemen at the earliest.