Notwithstanding “advice” from Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to put off their stir, a third veteran on Tuesday joined the fast-unto-death protest by ex-servicemen to press for implementation of the ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) scheme.
“Havildar Ashok Chauhan has also gone on fast-unto-death in support of OROP. Those at Jantar Mantar have tried to dissuade him, but he is not relenting,” Col (Retd) Anil Kaul, media advisor to United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM), said on the second day of the hunger strike.
Stepping up agitation on OROP, a fast-unto-death was launched by two ex-servicemen here on Monday.
Meanwhile, in a statement, UFESM said their advisory council had met Parrikar on August 16 at his residence. “He advised [us] to postpone [our] fast-unto-death till August 24 as he would meet the Prime Minister on August 23 and attempt a to get the solution to this vexed problem,” the statement said.