Finance Minister demands inquiry into reason for Grewal’s decision to end life

Tribune News Service

Hisar, November 5

Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu today blamed the Congress for Subedar Ram Singh Grewal’s suicide, alleging the previous UPA government had failed to implement the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) scheme during its 10-year tenure.“If the financial condition is one of the reasons behind his decision to commit suicide, the UPA government is to blamed because it denying Grewal OROP benefit for 10 years,” he told the media here.The Indira Gandhi government had, in 1972, discontinued the OROP scheme for defence personnel, leading to pension-related discrepancies, Capt Abhimanyu said.“Ex-servicemen struggled for 43 years, including 10 years of the UPA government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept the promise on the OROP,” he claimed.On the demand for a martyr status to Grewal, the minister said: “Suicide cannot be glorified. Being an ex-serviceman, I can say that a soldier is taught to fight and struggle; not to surrender to the circumstances. The narrow thinking of the Kejriwal government failed to differentiate between martyrdom and suicide. Martyrdom is always inspirational, whereas suicide cannot be.”The reason for his decision needed to be investigated, he said.He hit out at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. “I appreciate Rahul’s gesture to express solidarity with the bereaved family. But the martyrdom of a soldier from Kuruksherta a few days ago failed to draw his attention.”Capt Abhimanyu defended the government’s decision to provide Rs10 lakh and a government job to the deceased’s family. “A sensitive Chief Minister always helps the needy,” he added.

Several anomalies in scheme: Cong

• “There are several anomalies in the scheme; it only amounts to a marginal increase in pension… The government is claiming that Ram Kishan Grewal committed suicide because he was under debt. That might be true, but he was camping in Delhi to protest forearly implementation of the OROP scheme. His phone call to his family proves he took his life for a cause”Kiran Choudhry, CLP leader

PM didn’t honour his promise, says Kiran

Chandigarh, November 5

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Kiran Choudhry today alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone back on his word on implementing the OROP scheme, as promised at a pre-election rally in Rewari.“The BJP government at the Centre has only, at best, enhanced the pension, while denying ex-servicemen their due,” she told the media here.“There are several anomalies in the scheme; it only amounts to a marginal increase in pension. At a rally of ex-servicemen in Rewari, the Prime Minister had announced that implementation of the OROP scheme would be the first thing he would do on assuming office. It has been two years since and the ex-servicemen have been forced to take to the streets. We are ashamed at the treatment being meted out to them at the hands of the BJP government,” Choudhry said.She claimed the suicide by Bhiwani ex-serviceman Ram Krishan Grewal had failed to move the government. “It was shocking to hear Modi’s minister General VK Singh say Grewal was mentally unstable. He should have stepped down in protest, to express solidarity with the defence personnel.” — TNS

Veteran’s son my party worker, says Athawale

Bhiwani, November 5

Contrary to Union Minister VK Singh’s remark that OROP protester Ram Kishan Grewal, who committed suicide in Delhi, was a Congressman, another minister Ram Dass Athawale said that Grewal’s son was his party worker.“Grewal’s son Jaswant Singh is the block president of my party and he is not a Congressman,” said Athawale when asked to respond to the statement of former Army Chief VK Singh about the political background of the deceased.Athawale, who is chief of the Republic Party of India, reached here today and demanded martyr status for Grewal. He said that he would speak to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on the issue. One of the deceased sons would be absorbed in the department under him, he stated. — TNS

Pension for war widows, veterans raised to Rs 3,000

Chandigarh, November 5

The Haryana Government has enhanced monthly pension to Rs3,000 given to ex-servicemen of and above the age of 60, widows and orphans of ex-servicemen, disabled ex-servicemen, war widows of the defence personnel killed in action during war, and paraplegic, tetraplegic and hemiplegic ex-servicemen.The revised pension will be disbursed from from November. Earlier, pension ranged between Rs1,500 and Rs2,000.A government spokesman said financial assistance would be enhanced by Rs400 a year from November 1, 2017. TNS