IN a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 17, Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) who had visited the dharna of defence service pensioners at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on the same day, said that it is sad that defence personnel who have served the nation were being forced to sit on an indefinite hunger strike. It is a shame on the country that such a situation has developed which makes a mockery of the concept of Jai Jawan. The defence personnel had these questions: “Why is a date not being given for the implementation of a promise made to us by the present government as well as the previous government? Have we committed a crime to be beaten by the police on the eve of Independence Day, yet we have not heard a single word of regret from the central government? Does the government not have a sum of 8,300 crore rupees for those who put their lives in danger for the nation?” Brinda Karat wrote that the entire country is in solidarity and in support of the immediate implementation of the One Rank One Pension. There is the widest consensus on this issue across all political parties and across all states. She brought to the notice that the general secretary of the CPI(M), SitaramYechury had already written to the prime minister on this issue. It is unfortunate that the government has not stood by the retired personnel when the police manhandled and physically assaulted them on August 14. She asked the PM to depute a minister to express regret to the personnel on behalf of the government and urged him to declare the date by which the OROP will be implemented. She also requested the PM to meet the women family members of the pensioners and hear their sufferings which, she was sure will move him into urgent action. A number of wives and family members of defence service pensioners have met her on the OROP issue and narrated their sad plight.