Government deliberately delaying OROP: Congress

New Delhi, May 31: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to assure former servicemen on the one rank-one pension (OROP) issue, the Congress on Sunday alleged that his government was "deliberately delaying" the decision, and the criticism of the UPA government on it was "not valid".

"Government is deliberately delaying the OROP scheme," senior Congress leader and Delhi Pradesh Congress president Ajay Makan told reporters here. [One Rank One Pension issue: War veterans boycott govt functions; plan maha rally]

Makan's comments came soon after Modi assured ex-servicemen through his radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' that his government would soon resolve the tangle related to the OROP issue.

"Modi's criticism of the UPA government on the issue is also not valid," the Congress leader added.

Describing the issue as complicated and pending for the past 40 years, Modi said the officials concerned in the government were engaged to find a solution to this and asked ex-servicemen not to be swayed by politics over it.

"Why did he (prime minister) not touch upon important issues in his 'Mann ki Baat' programme, such as bringing back black money from abroad and clarifications on Rafale aircraft deal with France," asked Makan.

He said his party was expecting that Modi would discuss the country's economic situation as well as unemployment in the country, but he did't.

IANS