Former Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retired) has warned against efforts to create divisions between officers and jawans (soldiers) regarding the 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP) issue. RKS Bhadauria, the head of the veterans' organization the Air Force Association, spoke out on Wednesday about his concern for recent attempts to portray officers as obtaining greater perks under OROP, which may have taken on a political hue.

Speaking at the meeting, he said, “I got more concerned in the last one-odd week when a different twist to this is being given in terms of creating a wedge between officers and men. That officers are getting more (in the OROP) which is taking a political colour."

Air Chief Marshal (Retd) RKS Bhadauria urged the mostly Indian Air Force (IAF) veterans in attendance to refrain from engaging in any political activity or participating in agitations over issues related to the armed forces.

His comments came after a video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi went viral within defense circles. In the video, Rahul Gandhi said that while jawans make up the majority of the armed forces and were allegedly receiving a lower amount from the OROP scheme, officers were allegedly obtaining bigger financial perks.

"We must stay away from this. There is nothing like this; there is no merit in these arguments. I am aware of every single anomaly and case that has been taken up...I must clearly spell out that in these political times, we must stay away from politics of it. Whatever is correct and justified, which needs to be taken up, must be taken up through the right channels. That is the only way results come, that is the only way the issue will get addressed," Bhadauria said.

Bhadauria clarified that the fact that these matters were taking longer to resolve did not imply that they were not being actively addressed. OROP scheme was given to the veterans which means that people retiring from the same rank would get the same pension irrespective of the time they have retired from the defense forces.

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