OROP: Cong accuses govt of practising "politics of deception"

New Delhi, Nov 10: Congress today accused the government of practising "politics of deception" on the 'one rank-one pension' issue that has led to threats from agitated ex-servicemen to return their awards.

"First, we saw delay in announcement and then we saw cut-back in the scope of the announcement before giving anything. We saw the quantum reduced by technicalities", party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

He also alleged that the government of practising "politics of deception, hypocrisy and deceit" on the issue. Telling the government that a grateful nation owed the ex-servicemen everything, he said, "We are not doing any charity to them. We are giving them what they are owed by the nation in a debt of gratitude which is unending."

His statement came on a day when Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in Goa said that the behaviour of war veterans protesting the notification on OROP scheme is "unlike that of a soldier" and they have been misguided even as he asked them not to link their decision to return medals to a financial demand. He said he was "pained" to see such tactics being used.

PTI