IANS/New Delhi

After 73 days of agitation, a breakthrough over the ‘One Rank One Pension’ issue appeared to be evolving as the veterans said yesterday that talks with the government have moved “a step forward”.
“Dialogue with the government is continuing and considerable ground has been covered today. We have moved a step forward and are optimistic about the final outcome,” said an official statement from the veterans yesterday evening.
This comes after the ex-servicemen warned again yesterday morning that they would scale up the agitation if their demands were not met.
The veterans had planned to scale up the agitation after the government failed to announce OROP on August 15, as expected. However, they were asked to wait for 10 more days, which ended yesterday.
As talks within government circles and negotiations with the veterans continued, two of the veterans on a fast-unto-death, Col Pushpender Singh (Retd) and Havildar Ashok Chauhan (Retd) continue to be in hospital.
Both are continuing their fast in hospital.
Havildar Major Singh, whose condition deteriorated, refused to leave the venue yesterday. He has been on fast since Monday last week.
A spokesperson from the veterans’ side said medical arrangements have been made at Jantar Mantar to address any emergency.
Three more veterans joined the indefinite fast yesterday, taking the number of fasting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar to six.
The veterans sitting on indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar now include Havildar Sahib Singh, who replaced Col Singh on Monday, Naik Uday Singh Rawat, and Major Piar Singh who joined on Tuesday.
Of the three who joined the fast yesterday, Sanwal Ram Yadav is the father of a martyred soldier, Lance Nayak Sunil Kumar Yadav.
So far, there have been certain points of contention between the government and the veterans.
Sources told IANS that the government wants 2011 to be the base year, while the veterans say it should be at the 2014 level, along with a 3% increment every year, which the government is not agreeing to.
Besides, the government wants payment to begin from April 1, 2015 as against the agreed date of April 1, 2014.
This was after a meeting between the veterans and Army Chief General Dalbir Singh on Tuesday night.