After the V Membership Verification in BSNL was over, the NFTE and FNTO have been giving wide propaganda that  the result will not be announced  citing the interim order of Ernakulam High Court that ‘ the result of the referendum being held …will be subject to the outcome of the writ petition.’ As per the court order there is no stay either on the conduct of the verification, announcing the result or granting recognition. The result was announced on 4th February as scheduled and BSNLEU was declared as elected..

Now these unions have started propagating that the recognition will not be granted to BSNLEU. That propaganda also is being blown up. The CMD has agreed to grant recognition to the elected BSNLEU and orders are expected to be issued on 8th February.

Spreading rumours has become the usual method of some unions to create confusion among the workers.

One of the biggest census in the world, India Census 2011, has already started. Population Enumeration, the second phase of Census will start on 9th February. About 24 crore households will be visited by about 25 lakh enumerators within the next three weeks for collecting the informations on 29 items including literacy, housing and household amenities, urbanisation, migration, language, religion, SC ST castes, cultural activities etc. etc.

Dr. C.Chandrmouli, Registrar General and Census Commissioner stated that the data collected will be disseminated within one or one and half years instead of the earlier four to five years.

Let us co-operate and make the census a great success.

The counting in the membership verification conducted on 1st February 2011 was done today. At this time when except Chennai Telephones result is yet to come, BSNLEU leads by more than 26,500 votes. BSNLEU has got more than 1,03,000 votes and the votes in Chennai Telephones are yet to add.

BSNLEU has won with a good margin. Congratulations to all the comrades who have worked very hard for the success of BSNLEU and United Forum.

United Forum calls upon all units to organise Victory Day on 4th January 2011 by distributing sweets etc.to all.

Every year the workers observe 1st May as May Day, the International solidarity Day of the Working Class by organising demonstrations, rallies, conferences and so on. The struggle for an eight-hour working day, the  sacrifices of Martyrs of Haymarket in Chicago in 1886 etc. are also known to all . But the sustained struggles the workers of Chicago and of America organised in the 19th Century and the sacrifices and hardships they had to make etc. are not known much.

In the book titled “Hay Market Revisited”, William Adelman has given a detailed study about the entire situation which prevailed, the Hay Market incident and the trial  of the  martyrs and what happened afterwards. The entire book brings to  us of the heroic struggle the working class has fought and the brutal and inhuman attack on the workers by the American Government.

The book has been published by CITU with a foreword by Com.M.K.Pandhe and titled ” Glorious saga of May Day Martyrs”.   I feel that each and every worker should read it so that the entire story of the Hay Market Martyrs and their sacrifices can be well understood.

The Supreme Court while not accepting the request  to cancel the licences of those companies which did not roll out services after getting the 2G licences, made it clear that the regularisation of these licences will be subject to the final orders of the court.

The CAG has recommended the cancellation of 69 ineligible licences, but the government is trying to regularise them by imposing small penalties. The Supreme court stated the above in a petition seeking cancellation of these licences.

The correct action will be to cancel these irregular licences and take action against these companies who obtained licences irregularly.

The people of Egypt has strengthened their struggle against the autocratic rule of President Hosni Mubarak. They continued the peaceful demonstrations in the Tahir Square in Cairo demanding the ouster of Mubarak. More than two million people participated in the demonstration yesterday, 1st February. The army, which was called to quell the uprising of the people by Mubarak has refused to fire against them and allowed the people to gather peacefully. The uprising in Egypy will have its repurcussions in the the entire states nearby.

At last India has, to a certain extend, supported the uprising. The progressive sections in the India has already supported this struggle for democracy in Egypt. The world is eagerly looking what is going to happen in Egypt.

Former Communications Minister A.Raja, R.K.Chandolia, former Private Secretary to MOC and Sidhartha Behura, former Secretary, DOT have been arrested to-day, 2nd February by CBI in connection with the 2G Spectrum Scam. They will be brought to the CBI court in Delhi tomorrow.

A.Raja had earlier stated that all action taken by him in connection with the 2G Spectrum allotment has been done in consultation with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Where the investigation will lead. The demand of the opposition parties for a JPC probe is fully justified in this context.

It is being reported in the press that the TRAI may recommend a one time fee for the extra 2G spectrum beyond 6.4 MHz being held by the telecom companies. The fee may be from Rs.50.98 crore to Rs. 707.28 crore.

It will be a big amount for the BSNL to pay this amount when it is in difficulty financially. Considering its financial condition, the one time fee is to be waived. But will the government do it?

The Membership Verification is over! After more than one month’s hectic campaign and propaganda, the crucial date arrived and the verification has taken place. It was peaceful and disciplined as per reports received. I congratulate the management, the workers and unions for the peaceful election.

As per reports received, about 95% have voted. It is almost similar to the 2009 verification. And the result is not going to be different. BSNLEU / United Forum is poised to win with good margin, more than last time.

In the meantime, FNTO has approached Ernakulam High Court to stay the verification. The case came for hearing on 31st January. The court did not give any stay. According to our Advocate nothing is stopped including announcement of results or declaration of recognised union as per verification. The next hearing is expected after one month.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the leaders and workers of BSNLEU and the United Forum for their sustained and hard work to ensure the victory of BSNLEU / United Forum. There was excellent co-ordination at All India level, and I feel more or less it might have been the experience at lower levels also.

Once the election and declaration is over, it will be our responsibility to start work immediately to settle the pending issues, There should not be any delay.

Once again I thank all and convey Hearty Congratulations!