“We also thought it would be a maximum of Rs 700 crore… But then every day new things kept coming up,” PM Modi said at a public rally in Faridabad that he was addressing. Finally, he said, “it was summing up to Rs 8,000 to 10,000 crore”.
Taking another dig at the Congress, which led the previous UPA government, he said those who have done nothing to implement OROP for 40 years “have no right to speak, or speak on behalf of jawans.”
The government announced the long-awaited scheme on Saturday. But the ex-servicemen, who had been protesting for the last 87 days, are yet to call off the agitation.
They – including the 13 army veterans who have been on an indefinite hunger strike for 20 days – are waiting for a written statement from the government.
Assuring the veterans that the government will stand by its commitment, PM Modi said, “Nothing is bigger than respect for the veterans and those who gave their life for the nation. We made a promise and we are fulfilling it.”
“The government has taken a big decision and this is inspired by a feeling of patriotism, respect towards veterans,” he added.
At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where the protests are on, one of the representatives of the ex-servicemen, Satbir Singh, said, “We will tell you about this VRS confirmation… We will request our bother to go off hunger strike after its clearance.”
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