This Article is From Jul 26, 2015

Veterans Serve the Country But Don't Get Their Due, Says Anna Hazare: Highlights

Social activist Anna Hazare

New Delhi: Social activist Anna Hazare today joined former servicemen in their protest against the Centre over the non-implementation of One Rank One Pension and said the veterans serve the country but don't get their due. Addressing former servicemen at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, the 78-year-old Gandhian also said the government should not go back on their promise to implement the OROP scheme.

Here are the highlights:
  • A jawan is awake at night, that's why people sleep peacefully, but that jawan isn't being allowed to live with dignity.
  • There are several war widows here. They get a pension of Rupees 4000. In this day and age, how will they run a family?
  • Parliament has been disrupted for five days. How much money is wasted there?
  • We cannot alleviate the sadness of families of the veterans.
  • I had decided that I will live and die for the society.
  • I told people, when my brothers will stand to protest, I will join the protest.
  • I have come here today to make sure whatever needs to be done for OROP will be done. But my only request is, it should be done in a non violent manner.
  • I will go to several other parts of the country to raise this issue.
  • We will go for the Ludhiana rally on August 2, rally in rohtak on August  9 and rally in Maharashtra on August 23.
  • On October 2, we will again converge at the Ramlila Maidan for a big protest. Just like we did for the Lokpal.
  • There were so many assurances about removing corruption. Nothing has been done by the government now .
  • The government had also promised they will allow OROP.
  • Our defence minister is a good man. I know him. He had decided on allowing OROP. I had decided to set aside rupees 500 crore for this. But that's still to be been done.
  • We have two months. I will rally across the country and raise awareness.
  • The government is thinking they promised and people voted for us. They are now in majority. If they think no one can touch them now, they should realise that each day will be difficult for them.
  • Government should not go back on their promise to implement One Rank One Pension.
  • I had only one request that there should be no politician on stage today.
  •  I am not here to ask for votes.
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