Politics Over OROP Suicide: What's at Stake for Congress, BJP and AAP

The body of army veteran Subedar Ram Kishan Grewal, who committed suicide on Tuesday over the delay in implementation of OROP was cremated in Bhiwani, Haryana in the presence of several political leaders cutting across parties.

From Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, leaders have not desisted from extracting political mileage from Grewal’s suicide.

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Political parties have indulged in mudslinging and blamed each other for the army veteran’s unfortunate suicide. Haryana chief minister Manohar Khattar on Thursday said that Grewal cannot be called a martyr as he had committed suicide.

Here’s a look at why BJP, Congress, and AAP are trying to politicise the suicide of Subedar Ram Kishan Grewal.

BJP

- Wants this suicide not to sabotage prevailing mood of nationalism created by surgical strikes before the UP, Punjab, and Uttarakhand polls.

- Intends to build the entire electoral campaign on three pillars- national security, development, and governance. The OROP suicide may knock winds out of sail on party’s national security plank.

- Wishes the OROP controversy doesn’t wreck its plans to use surgical strikes and consequent nationalism wave to iron out Hindu caste-class division in states going for polls.

- Suicide may dent popularity PM Modi has acquired among Armymen after OROP implementation and surgical strikes.

- Risks alienating Jat votes in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh as Ram Kishan Grewal belonged to the community.

Congress

- Sees it as an opportunity to quickly catch up with the Modi-led government after the party was left behind on nationalism issue after surgical strikes.

- By questioning the Modi govt over a veteran’s suicide, it wants to undo the damage caused by party’s Mumbai chief Sanjay Nirupam questioning the veracity of surgical strikes.

- Is attempting to consolidate Jat voters who traditionally have voted for the party in UP and Punjab.

- Wants to get rid of its successive failures to implement the OROP under UPA and a tag that Indira Gandhi cut military pensions in 1973.

AAP

- Was worried about the likely fallout of Kejriwal demanding proof of surgical strikes and thereby doubting the Army’s action across the LoC.

- Finds opportunity in suicide to gain mileage over the BJP which gained a lot of applauds after the surgical strikes.

- Wants to attract Jat votes in crucial Punjab and UP polls.

- Attempts to blunt edge BJP has among servicemen and their families after it implemented the OROP.