OROP stir: Saheb replaces Pushpinder

Col Pushpinder Singh (Retd) is still in the ICU and is under observation of doctors at Army Hospital. A group of ex servicemen were with him throughout the night. Even as he was being taken to the hospital, another veteran Havildar Saheb Singh (Retd) took his place and began fast-unto-death. Two others - Havildar Major Singh (Retd) and Havildar Ashok Chauhan (Retd) - are also on a similar protest. Ex-servicemen have been protesting for the implementation of OROP for over two months and are hoping to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon. Four former service chiefs recently wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee, the supreme commander of the armed forces, asking him to "urgently intervene" in the OROP row. Ten former Service chiefs have also written a joint letter to Modi seeking early implementation of OROP. 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.