Cong shedding crocodile tears on the OROP issue: Dhumal

"The Congress party did not do anything in its 40-year rule to resolve the issue and was now trying to mislead people. It is politicising the sensitive issue to get political mileage," he alleged.

Shimla, Nov 5 Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today alleged that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and his party leaders were shedding "crocodile tears" on the OROP issue.

"The Congress party did not do anything in its 40-year rule to resolve the issue and was now trying to mislead people. It is politicising the sensitive issue to get political mileage," he alleged in a statement.

Dhumal claimed the OROP issue was first raised by him in the Lok Sabha in 1990. "Congress leaders misled ex-servicemen on this issue by making false promises. But when the demand started gaining momentum in 2013, the then UPA government made a provision of only Rs 500 crore and played with the sentiments of ex-soldiers," he alleged.

"It was Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi who called the shots and then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh failed to do anything for ex-servicemen during UPA's 10-year rule," Dhumal said.

He asked ex-servicemen to remain "vigilant against the sinister designs of the Congress". "Ex-servicemen should not forget that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had already released Rs 5,500 crore for implementing OROP and more funds would be released to ensure that every ex-soldier benefits," he said.

PTI

DIP