BJP welcomes over a dozen ex-servicemen into its fold

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed over a dozen senior retired Army officers including Major General (retd) Shammi Sabharwal, former, GOC Uttarakhand sub-area as well as Brigadier (retd) KG Behl, patron of the Uttarakhand Ex-servicemen League among others, into its fold on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Naresh Bansal, party’s state interim president said, “Senior and decorated army officers joining BJP shows the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the defence personnel.We welcome everyone who wants to join the party to strengthen the country.”
Major Gen (retd) Sabharwal told mediapersons, “There is no leader in our country who can match the caliber, capacity and vision of PM Modi. Being an officer, I know the approach of the previous dispensation. It is our good fortune that we have an impeccable leader like PM Modi to deal with the enemy and work for the country’s development.”
Echoing similar sentiment, Brig (retd) KG Behl said, “As PM, Modiji has cleared the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme that was pending for many decades. The ex-servicemen fraternity firmly believes that the objections in the OROP would be removed by him as well because he has clarity and intent to solve the country’s problems.”
Notably, the saffron camp has a specific wing devoted to the ex-servicemen fraternity in Uttarakhand. The state has an over 10 lakh population of ex-servicemen with majority of them settled in Dehradun, Kotdwar, parts of Tehri as well as Pauri Garhwal.