NEW DELHI: AAP on Monday termed as “shameful” the BJP-led central government’s decision to allegedly reduce disability pension of the armed forces from Rs 45,000 to about Rs 27,000 per month. “How did a party which is pretending to be the greatest nationalist in the country and going around preaching nationalism to everyone take such a decision? The protest to demand for ‘one rank-one pension’ went on for weeks before the Centre relented,” said AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh.
The party has already filed police complaints against defence minister Manohar Parrikar and BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao, accusing both of having demeaned the armed forces. “In 15 years, there have been nine surgical strikes and BJP is claiming the responsibility for having motivated the forces for such an action. It is raising questions on the 70-year history of the Army. Now, with details of ‘Operation Ginger’ having been made public, BJP is raising questions about a surgical strike in 2011. The party is using these strikes for political gains. It put up hoardings across poll-bound Uttar Pradesh where it is felicitating its own senior members. There is not a single picture of any martyr or soldier on these hoardings,” said Singh.