Monthly Archives: October 2014

Inequality Threat – Janet Yellen, Chairperson, UDFederal Reservelal Re

19 Sunday Oct 2014

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Even in US, the captian of capitalism, voices are coming up focussing the grave danger of the growing inequality between the rich and poor.
The latest voice has come from a top executive, the Chairwomen of the Federal Reserve. While addressing the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Economic Conference, she stated that recent Federal Research showed that distribution of those opportunities viz. means to raise children, access to education, owning a small business and inheritance, to be increasingly unequal. Then she stated ” I think it is appropriate to ask  whether this trend is compatible with values rooted in our nation’s history, among them the high value Americans have traditionally placed on equality of opportunity.”

It seems that after the ” Occupy Wall Street” agitation, a section of the capitalist leaders themselves in US have started thinking about the danger of the increasing inequality. But you can not expect any positive policy from the capitalist system.

How Air India was financially ruined by Government ?

19 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, PSU, Telecom

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Air India was running well and there was modest profit. It all changed after its merger with India Airlines and the intervention of Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel compelling the company to purchase more than double the planes it did not really require.

Shri Jitender Bhargava, a former Executive Director of Air India, in a forth right article in the “Economic Times” dated 19th October 2014 asserts that the Air India has gone down due to the quixotic plane order by the company. While the Director Board of the Air India only wanted 28 air crafts to be purchased,the ministry under Praful Patel compelled them to order 68 air crafts. Air India was having only Rs. 8,000 crore annual revenue and the profit was only wafer thin. It had no reserve fund.

The cost of the 68 planes ordered was Rs. 39,000 crore.If the planes had to be purchased, the company will have to take loans for which an annual interest of Rs. 2,000 crore has to be paid. It was a cruel decision and a financial tragedy would be the result.

The article reviews through the decision making process and how the Minister dictated and compelled the management to issue the order for 68 planes. The director, who even made some remarks on the non-viability of the plan was terminated from the Board.

The quixotic plane order at the behest of minister was the main reason for the financial trouble and down fall of Air India. This is how the Government ensured that the Air India goes down and the private airlines benefit.

In telecom sector, BSNL, the PSU, was humbled and made financially unviable in another way. If in Air India, order was given for more than required planes, in BSNL it was by cancellation of the 45 million mobile equipment order, which was urgently required by BSNL to expand its services, that the government managed to start the downfall of BSNL. It was Communication Minister Raja who accomplished this for the government by compelling the management to cancel the order. It was only through the united struggle of the workers under the leadership of the JAC of BSNL Unions/Associations in July 2007 that at least half of the 45 million lines could be got ordered. But the further cancellation of the tender for 93 million and 5 million sealed the fate of BSNL. The entire cash balance of Rs. 40,000 crore with BSNL was taken away by the government in the name of notional loan, its huge interest, spectrum charges and so on.

Whether it is the UPA or NDA government, the motto is ” Business is not the Business of the Government” and wants to hand over all the PSUs to the MNCs and Corporates. Of course, it is these corporates and MNCs which have donated lakhs of crores of rupees to both BJP and Congress in the elections and they have to be repaid by undue favours.

It is high time that these ruling classes have to be exposed. It is also necessary that the persons responsible should be booked and punished for destroying the valuable assets of the nation.

The Govt. should take over the Chennai Nokia Plant

19 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by in TU News, TU News - India

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Nokia, one of the top manufacturers of mobile phones, has decided to close its factory at Chennai, which will cause loss of jobs of about twenty five thousand workers of the factory.

We demand the government either to compel the management of Nokia to continue the production or the government itself should take over the factory and run the same so that the livelihood of the workers can be protected. The trade unions in the factory including CITU has already raised this reasonable demand.

Immediate action is required.

OBSERVE AIBDPA DAY ON 21 OCTOBER.

18 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners

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The fifth Foundation day anniversary of AIBDPA falls on 21st October 2014. It was on 21st October 2009, 5 years back, that the Foundation Convention was held at Garwal Bhawan Conference Hall, New Delhi. Hundreds of BSNL-DOT Pensioners attended the Convention, which was inaugurated by Com. M.K.Pandhe, President, CITU and the leading light of the working class. The initiative to form AIBDPA was taken by BSNLEU, the recognised union of workers in BSNL.

Within the last five years, AIBDPA has grown and has spread all over the country. Through the energetic leadership of Coms. Ananta Bhattacharjee (President) and K.G.Jayaraj (General Secretary), it has become one of the mighty organisations of the Pensioners.

It is affiliated to NCCPA and BCPC both of which are umbrella organisation of the Central Pensioners. It is also connected with the Trade Union International ( Pensioners and Retirees ), which is affiliated to World Federation of Trade Unions(WFTU).It has participated in the discussion with the VII CPC on the issues of the Central Govt. Pensioners, where the issues of the BSNL-DOT Pensioners were also raised.

AIBDPA continues the great heritage of the P and T Trade Union Movement. It believes in the slogan ‘Struggle for unity and Unity for struggle’ and tries to implement the same. It works in close co-ordination with the unions of the regular employees.

The CHQ of AIBDPA has given call to its members to observe the AIBDPA Day in a successful way.

Revolutionary Greetings to all the members of the AIBDPA on this happy occasion!

All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association Zindabad !

AKG Bhawan, New Delhi – Head Quarters of CPI(M)

18 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by in Left News

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A.K.G.Bhawan, the Head Quarters of the CPI(M) was inaugurated on 19th October 1991 by Com. B.T.Ranadive, PBM CPI(M).The name was given in memory of the indomitable fighter of the working class and CPI(M) PB Member Com. A.K.Gopalan, who passed away on 22nd March 1977. The Central Committee of CPI(M) functions here.

Formation of Communist Party of India, 17 October 1920

18 Saturday Oct 2014

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Communist Party of India has crossed 94 years after its formation on 17th October 1920. It was in Tashkent that the CPI in exile was formed.The founding members of the party were M.N. Roy, Evelyn Trent Roy, Abani Mukherji, Rosa Fitingof , Mohammad Ali , Mohammad Shafiq Siddiqui, Rafiq Ahmed, M.P.B.T. Acharya and Sultan Ahmed Khan Tarin.

During the last 94 years much has happened. The Party started its units in India. The British Government was much worried it took all actions to finish the party. Conspiracy cases were foisted on the Communists and cruelly punished. But this crisis was utilised by the party comrades to propagate the message of communism.

Party had to face several challenges at each and every stage. It was victimised by both the British and Congress Governments.

The internal crisis resulted in the party being divided, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was formed in 1964. CPI(M) became the leading Communist Party which became the ruling party in 3 states viz. Kerala, W.Bengal and Tripura now and then.

The party Congress of the CPI(M) is going to be held in 2015 at Visakhapatnam which will review the present situation, the defeat in the 2014 elections and organisational matters. Despite several backlashes, the party has bounced back, and it is sure that the CPI(M) come to the forefront politics again.

Diesel Price deregularised, strong opposition required

18 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by in General, Price Rise

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The Cabinet which met today has decided to deregularise the price of diesel. Now it will be linked to the market. This was a move started by the UPA government, but due to strong protest from political parties, the move was dropped. Now the NDA government has implemented the same.

And immediately the price of diesel in Delhi has been reduced by Rs.3.37 for a litre, to show that the present move will benefit the customers, the people. Now it is reduced, but the chances are that the price will increase by leaps and bounds as we have seen in the case of petrol prices when it was deregularised and linked with market.

There should be strong protest against this anti-people move of the NDA government. More burdens are put on the shoulders of the common man.

Letter from Prakash Karat GS CPI(M) to CM UP Akhilesh Yadav

18 Saturday Oct 2014

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October 18, 2014

Press Release

CPI(M) General Secretary, Prakash Karat, has written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Shri Akhilesh Yadav, today, seeking the release of those arrested in Meerut on the false charges of rape. The full text of the letter is being released herewith.

Dear Akhileshji,

I write to draw your attention to the Meerut case in which a personal relationship between two consenting adults who happen to belong to different religious communities was converted into a criminal matter of rape and forcible conversion by Hindutva organisations. These organisations manipulated and used some members of the woman’s family for their nefarious game. It is shocking that along with these organisations the BJP was also involved in the crime of false and communal propaganda aimed at creating enmity between two communities.

The young woman has now given her statement before the magistrate in which she has clarified the facts of her consensual relationship and that she was pressurized by her family members who in turn were being used by the Hindutva forces even reportedly bribed by them, to make false charges of gang rape and forcible conversion against Kaleem the person she was involved with and others.

At present ten people are in jail. They are: Kaleem, Nawab (Pradhan of the village), Madarsa Hafiz Sanaullah and his wife Samarjahan, Nishat d/o Hashmat, Gul Munawwar, Habib Razi, Shanu and Naveen. They are innocent of the crimes they have been accused of. There was no victim except the Constitution of India.

In these circumstances it is essential to take immediate steps to release the innocent men and women from jail. It is also necessary to punish those who are responsible for the false propaganda and communal frenzy in the name of “love jihad.”

While the young woman has declared her intention to marry Kaleem, some of the Hindutva organisations have dared to threaten her and have declared they will not “allow” such a marriage. The father of the woman is also being threatened again. This is absolutely intolerable and a challenge to the law and to the Constitution. I urge you to act firmly and swiftly to punish these men who must be taught the secular laws of India.

I request you also to provide security to the woman and on their release to the others.

With warm regards
Yours sincerely

Sd/-
(Prakash Karat)

BSNL Casual Contract Workers prepare for one day strike on 27th November.

18 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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The historic Bharat Sanchar Bhawan March on 15th October 2014 has inspired the entire BSNL casual contract workers in the country. The participants have returned to their states with determination to ensure that the exploitation of the workers will be put an end to and their rights are honoured and ensured.

The declaration of one day strike on 27th November 2014 by the BSNLCCWF is welcomed by the workers. They have started active preparations for the same. It has to be ensured that each and every casual contract worker should not only participate in the strike, but also should give wide publicity to the brutal and inhuman exploitation of workers by the Contractors and the BSNL Management.

BSNLCCWF in its CEC Meeting at Bhubaneswar has declared 2014 as the Year of the Casual and Contract Workers. We have to ensure that our demands are correctly raised and maximum propaganda is given among the regular employees and among the public. The brutal exploitation of contract workers should be exposed.

Approach BSNLEU and other supporting unions/associations for their support in the justified struggle.

Let us March Ahead with determination and dedication. Our demands are fully justified. Today or tomorrow, we will certainly achieve our demands. Unity and struggle are the way.

Towards the One Day Strike on 27th November 2014!

Do not put EPF corpus in Stock Markets, Don’t Destroy the Future of Pensioners

18 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by in TU News - India

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The proposal of the Finance ministry to put the hard earned Employees Provident Fund in the stock market is completely wrong and is only intended to utilise the hard earned money of the workers and pensioners to maximise the profit of the corporates and big business, instead of safeguarding the interests of the employees. What will happen if the funds are deposited in the shares of King Fischer Airlines, Satyam Computers etc. which collapsed?

We strongly protest against the move and demand the insane proposal should be scrapped.