Monthly Archives: June 2017

1975 National Emergency remembered

25 Sunday Jun 2017

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A meeting was held on 25th June 2017 at Keluettan Study and Research Centre Kozhikode on the 42nd year of declaration of the hated ‘National Emergency’. The meeting was presided by Ciom.K.T.Kunhikannan, Director of the Study centre. Com. P.Mohanan Master, Dist. Secretary, CPI(M), inaugurated the meeting and spoke about the attack on the democracy, opposition leaders and parties  during emergency. He also spoke about the present situation, when an undeclared emergency is being implemented with attack on the people, working class etc. Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Adv. K.Jayarajan, K.K.C.Pillai and others addressed.  All spoke about the experiences of the dark emergency period and the present situation and called upon the people to be ready to face the onslaughts of the ruling class headed by the RSS and Sangh Parivar and fight against the same.

Reinstatement of an ‘Emergency Prisoner’

25 Sunday Jun 2017

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The ‘National Emergency’ promulgated on 25/26th June 1975 by the President of India on the advice of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was withdrawn on 21st March 1977, immediately after the utter defeat of Indira Gandhi and Congress in the general elections held in March 1977. The Janata government was formed, by all the opposition parties, who jointly fought against the Congress. This was the first non-Congress government after  Independence in 1947. The jailed politicians, trade unions leaders, activists were released from the jail by the new government.

In Calicut, the  two telecom employees who were in jail, Coms. V.A.Ouseph and Sathyanathan were also released and joined duty. But the latter comrade had a grievance. He was a new recruit and while he was in jail, he got a job in Indian Bank for which he had applied, but could not join and lost it.

We felt that it is necessary that the injustice should be removed and he should get the job in the Indian Bank. As the Secretary of the union, I had to take the responsibility for the same.  Within days I went to New Delhi by train.

First I went to the Janatha Party Office, which was situated in a big bungalow allotted to  Parliament members. The compound was full of hundreds of people who had come from far and near to meet their leaders. Most were from the Hindi belt, especially, UP, Bihar, M.P. etc. Tea, sweets and snacks were being freely supplied to all. Everybody was in joyful mood and celebrating the victory. I could see Ministers Raj Narain, a hero of the Emergency and some other ministers. I went and met the Secretary of the Janatha Party, who was from Kerala and requested to help me in getting the bank job to Sathyanathan. I had with me a letter addressed to Finance minister in this respect. He went through the letter and without any delay noted something on the representation and told me to go and meet the Finance Minister. Immediately I went to the office of the Finance Minister  in the North Block and went directly to the Minister’s room. There was no security any where and people were moving unobstructed. It was just like  another Independence. Finance Minister Shri H.M.Patel was coming out of his office. I spoke and gave the representation to him and told the matter in brief. He immediately signed in the representation and told me to meet the Secretary Finance. The office of the Finance Secretary was nearby. I went and met the Finance Secretary, who went through the letter and signed it telling me to meet the Joint Secretary Finance, Banking and guided me that the office is in the 5th/6th floor of the LIC Building opposite to Dak Bhawan. I went there and met the Joint Secretary and gave the letter and told what the Finance Secretary told. He went through the letter and asked me about the details of the case.

After noting down something on the representation, he telephoned the Managing Director of the Indian Bank in Madras  and told him to issue immediate orders appointing Shri Sathyanathan to the job in the bank. He also told ” Mr. Namboodiri is sitting in front of me. Before he reaches Calicut, the order should reach there.” I thanked him profusely and returned with satisfaction.

I immediately phoned our comrades at Calicut and told what happened. Within two hours I could meet the secretary Janatha Party, Finance Minister, Finance Secretary, Joint Secretary and get results. The post-emergency situation was such that each and every emergency excess has to be settled immediately.

As assured by the Joint Secretary Banking, before I reached calicut after two-three days rail journey, the order was received by Sathyanathan and he joined the Indian Bank  at Madras, if I remember correct. I was told later that he got promoted to higher posts. retired.

I still feel it as a miracle, something beyond usual. Of course, as I said, it was post-emergency and everything was possible without bureaucratic intervention and security concerns.

The Dark National Emergency of 1975 – 77

24 Saturday Jun 2017

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The new generation born during the last four / five decades did not have the direct bitter experience of the Draconian Emergency declared by the Indira Gandhi Government on 25th/ 26th June 1975. It is 42 years since the Emergency was declared.

The Indira Gandhi Government was under attack for its anti-people measures. The brutal suppression of the 22 days Railway strike in 1974 was an indication of what was to come. In between, the Allahabad High Court cancelled the election of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Parliament. And on another side, Jayaprakash Narayan’s movement started which grew in to an avalanche churning the entire country. Indira Gandhi did not see any way to meet this challenge and declared National Emergency in the midnight of 25th/26th June 1975, arresting all opposition leaders, trade union functionaries and others who were opposing the congress regime. CPI(M), BJP and all other oppositions were the main targets.

The emergency prohibited and suppressed all kinds of protests and democratic rights of the people. The newspapers were gagged. Without screening by the government censors, no paper could be published. Meetings, demonstrations – all were prohibited.

I was in the train along with a few other comrades going to Delhi from Kerala to attend a Convention of the Central Government Employees and Workers to chalk out agitation programmes on the urgent demands of the workers. On alighting at New Delhi Railway Station,  we found that there were a large number of police personnel. There was complete silence and people spoke in hushed voices only. Some comrades from Delhi came to us and told that National Emergency has been declared by the Government and it is not safe to stay where our accommodation was arranged. We were taken to the residence of comrade Jyothirmoy Basu, CPI(M) leader and Member of Parliament. He had already gone underground to escape arrest. After reaching there, our comrades told about the explosive situation under the draconian emergency. We were told not to go outside, to avoid arrest.

However,  I went to No.4, Ashoka Road,which was the bungalow allotted to Comrade A.K.Gopalan, M.P. I met Comrade Narikutty Mohanan there, who was the Delhi correspondent of Deshabhimani, the CPI(M) daily being published from Kerala. Incidentally at that time a call came from Ernakulam Telephone Exchange.There were no mobile phones at that time.Even STD was not available.Every trunk call was to be connected through Telephone Exchange only. It was fortunate that Comrade K.Prabhakaran, well known P and T leader called at that time. Since all press news were completely barred and communications through telephones and fax were all censured, there was no opportunity for Narikutty to give the latest report to the Deshabhimani in Kerala. When Prabhakaran contacted I asked him to connect Deshabhimani and Narikkutty gave detailed report about the declaration of emergency, the list of the arrested leaders and other information. And in the next day in Deshabhimani, all the news came with photoes of the arrested leaders and a strong statement of leaders condemning Emergency. I was told later that Com. Narikkutty was taken in to custody and questioned, but the police could not find how the news reached Ernakulam Deshabhimani, because there were no records of fax, trunk call etc.

Next day, I walked through Rafi Marg on the side of which is the Mavlankar Auditorium where the CGE convention was to be held. The entire area was cordoned and a large number of police were there.The convention was already banned and the leaders were compelled to cancel it. So the first taste of emergency for me was in Delhi only.

Later, so many leaders of CGE movement were arrested and put in jail till the end of emergency. Com. Prabhakaran was one among them. I was taken in to custody twice during the emergency and questioned a whole night, but was later released. The period of Emergency were black days for the entire country. No criticism of the government or the ruling party was allowed. It was a reign of terror. ‘India is Indira’ became the slogan of the sycophants. People were arrested and jailed without any reason. It was dictatorship. But resistance continued inside and outside.

During Emergency period, myself as Circle President and  Com.T.V.Joseph as Circle Secretary of NFPTE E.III Union, went and met Kerala Chief Minister Shri C.Achutha Menon and requested for grand of parole to Com. V.A.Ouseph, NFPTE leader at Calicut, who was in jail, to attend to his sick mother. CM stated that he has no power in the matter and every thing was decided by the Home Minister Shri K.Karunakaran only. We met Sri Karunakaran. When we introduced as representatives of the telecom Union, he became irritated. He cited an incident when a telephone operator refused to extend a trunk call he made to Smt. Indira Gandhi for more than six minutes. He told that ‘where I a Minister at that time, he would have been put in jail immediately.’ He also told that ‘all you union people are to be put in jail.’ We kept smiling, because we were interested in getting bail for Com. Ouseph. Fortunately he was given the parole as requested.

By 1977, Indira Gandhi felt that the situation is under control and election can be held. But her calculation failed. In the 1977 General Elections, Congress was routed out. For the first time in India, a non-congress government came in to power consisting of almost all opposition parties which won with thumbing majority. The Shah Commission which was appointed to enquire in to the Emergency excesses gave a true picture of what the nation and the people suffered during the Emergency.  (In the Shah Commission report on Emergency excess, it has been stated that Kerala Government has given parole to the emergency prisoners and cited the case of Com. Ouseph, stating that he was given parole twice. Hundreds of arrested persons were not granted parole even once.)

No Indian wants a recurrence of that draconian Emergency. But what happens at present gives a resemblance to the pre-Emergency days. RSS and Sangh Parivar with the full support of the government attacks the rights of the people to eat what they want, how to dress, whom to love, what to study etc. etc. The trend is similar to what happened in the early days of the Nazi rule under Adolph Hitler. Trade union rights are curtailed; Achieved benefits are taken away. Public Sector Units are sold for a song. Minorities are attacked under the open eyes of the authorities. Moves are afoot for the creation of a rightist Hindu Rashtra. The secular fabric of the nation is being torn and the dark forces are  creating communal tensions.

The National Emergency of  1975-77 and its brutal suppression of people and their rights have not been forgotten. Nobody wants another or similar Emergency and attack on the people. Dark clouds are hovering over the sky. It is only through the determined mighty united struggle of the people that the recurrence of another Emergency can be avoided.

We learn from the past to defend our future! NO to another Emergency!

Senior leader Com. D.Nagamanyam passed away

24 Saturday Jun 2017

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With deep sorrow and sadness it is intimated that Comrade D.Nagamanyam, one of the senior leaders of the P and T Trade union movement, passed away at Hyderabad at 11.20 hours today, 24th June 2017.He was admitted to the hospital about one week back. Com. Nagamanyam was ailing for some time. He was 72.

Com. Nagamanyam was one of the leaders, who along with Com.M.N.Reddy, P.Asokababu, J.Sampat Rao and others built up a strong union, both E.III and BSNLEU in A.P.Circle and especially Hyderabad. He played a very important role in the 1991 Bhopal AIC, as Polling Officer, in conducting the elections in a fair and democratic way, which ensured the election of the progressives headed by Coms. Moni Bose and V.A.N.Namboodiri. He organised the Line Staff Union and also BSNLEU. He was a dedicated leader, who had to face severe victimisation from the government and the management. His simple way of living, intimacy with the workers, ever-readiness to attend to the problems of the workers – all made him very dear to the movement and the grass root workers.

When I last met him at a meeting at Hyderabad, which he attended despite physical hardship, I never knew that it will be meeting him for the last. We exchanged pleasantries and enquired about health, family etc. We also remembered the many times, when we attended meetings in Hyderabad and nearby places under very hard and difficult times building up the organisation.

In his death, BSNLEU, BSNLCCWF and AIBDPA has lost a valiant fighter and leader. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, friends and comrades!

Jaipur and Ahmedabad Airports being sold to private

24 Saturday Jun 2017

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There is not a single day without news about selling of the central PSUs. The latest is the privatisation of the airports at Jaipur and Ahmedabad. The government has proposed to hand over these two airports to the private for a period of 10 years. The private companies want the period to extended to more years. As usual, the government is likely to surrender to the corporates and increase the period from 10 to 15 or 20 years.

Modi government will convert all the PSUs in to private companies, unless might opposition and struggles take place by the workers and the central trade unions against this selling of the government assets.

Karnataka Government assures regularisation of 11,000 contract workers, Minimum Wage of Rs. 17,000

24 Saturday Jun 2017

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that 11,000 contract workers will be regularised within the next three months. He also stated that the present minimum wages of Rs. 4,000 – 5,000 will be increased to Rs. 17,000.

Assurances are well taken. The government should implements its assurances. The workers will certainly need to fight to get the assurance implemented.

Agitation against privatisation of HLL Life Care Limited

24 Saturday Jun 2017

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The decision of the central government to privatise the HLL Life Care Limited, the PSU manufacturing contraceptives etc. stationed at Thiruvananthapuram, is strongly opposed by the 20,000 workforce as well as the trade unions in the city. Stated in the 1970s, the Hindustan Latex Limited 9 the former name of HLL Lifecare Limited), the company has grown in a big way with continuously posting year after year.
19 acres of prime land was allotted by the government for the HLL at the nominal rate of Rs.2? and the Tamilnadu and Karnataka Governments also have contributed. There is anger and frustration among the workers and the local people, since a good percentage of the workers belong to the area itself. Realising the anger, the HLL management has now proposed to the government 49% stake sale.

Neither there is any need for stake sale nor privatisation. CITU, along with the union in HLL have strongly protested privatisation. The company is running well, it is profitable and it is supporting the local people.The government should withdraw its proposal for privatisation/stake sale and allow the PSU to function as before.

AIBDPA address changed

22 Thursday Jun 2017

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Com. K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary AIBDPA has intimated that AIBDPA CHQ address is changed to:

ALL INDIA BSNL DOT PENSIONERS ASSOCIATION,
K.G.BOSE BHAWAN,
28/64,
WEST PATEL NAGAR,
NEW DELHI-110008

All correspondence may please made in the above address.

Dharna demanding wage Revision, Pension Revision etc. by BSNL Workers

20 Tuesday Jun 2017

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Massive Dharnas were organised in front of BSNL Offices, including at the Corporate Office, New Delhi demanding immediate wage revision w.e.f.01-01-2017, Pension revision, 30% supernumerary benefits to BSNL recruitees, reduction of pension contribution limited to the actual pay and also against the anti-trade union measures taken by the BSNL Management. The reports and photoes received show that the workers and pensioners have taken the call in its right spirit and have participated in hundreds in most of the places.

In Kozhikode Telephone Exchange where the dharna was organised, the workers and pensioners gathered in large  numbers despite the heavy rain. I was given the honour to inaugurate the dharna, after the welcome speech by the Convener of All Unions/Associations Com. Jayarajan (DS BSNLEU) and the presidential speech by Com. Sasidharan (SNEA). Both of the explained the reasons for the dharna and the anti-worker attitude of the management. In my inaugural address, I also mentioned about the demands and the anti-working class character of the government. It is only through sustained struggles that the workers will be able to achieve  the demands.

The preparation for the One Day Strike on the same demands on 27th July 2017 has to start immediately and made a grand success. This wage revision is most important a large number of workers who will be retiring before next wage revision.

It seems that the BSNL management and the police did not allow the workers to organise the dharna inside the corporate office premises and it was held outside of the compound. The action of the management is strongly condemned. Such dharnas and progammes were conducted always inside the compound despite objection of the management / police and there is no justification to deny this right to the workers.

WFTU Vice-President ‘s address in ILC Geneva

19 Monday Jun 2017

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WFTU FISE Vice-President addressed the 106th ILC in Geneva 14.6.2017
16 Jun 2017106th ILC, ILO
Speech of Chrysi Lampoudi, Vice President of the FISE

Dear Colleagues,
We represent here today the FISE which was founded in 1946 and which from then until now is a member of the WFTU. At the same time we are a permanent member of UNESCO in Paris, and we actively participate in all the interesting international Forums that have to do with Education and teachers. We believe that from 1946 until today our organization has dealt with all the major subjects concerning education. Through the struggle of the workers of the past century, we have achieved great progress and many of the problems of teachers were resolved. Illiteracy was contained, and in several countries first level education became mandatory.

Unfortunately in the last decade governments around the world are trying to get back everything with achieved through our struggle. The deep economic crisis of capitalism is being used by the governments as an excuse to dismantle free and public education, to lower the quality of education and take back the rights of teachers and professors.

In many countries we have in progress what we call an “education reform” . In reality it should be called “anti-educational reform” because its real target is to destroy what we have built for decades.

– The central goal of capitalists and monopolies is the privatization of education.
– The quality of education is on a constant drop and the historical truth is being twisted
– Parents and students are being forced to pay for their education, something that the State should be obliged to do.

Teachers are being prosecuted under the slogan of the assessment and with the excuse of the capitalist crisis their wages are reduced. At the same time, the number of teachers is decreasing at all levels.

Against this anti-educational policy ,important trade union struggles have taken place. Teachers in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Chicago, Canada, Greece, France, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Italy , In India, in Algeria, and in many other countries and in every corner of the world,they have organized major strikes. The militant attitude of many teachers’ unions was brutally hit by several governments.

Today, here we have a memorandum of Teachers from Mexico that show the character of the attack against teachers who are fighting for decent work. The federal government is threatening to dismiss thousands of teachers because they do not accept to become slaves in the 21st century.

We mention the example of Mexico because we think it is characteristic and it covers all teachers in all continents. We also ask this multi-party delegation of ILO, along with trade union representatives, of all international trade unions, to visit Mexico soon and demand that the Federal Government immediately stop threats and Terrorism at the expense of teachers and at the expense of Specific educational institutions as it does against the historic University of Mitschakan.

ILO should in practice defend decent work and teachers. Dignity means that it is the right of every child to have public free education, that each teacher has the right to be respected for his/her job, to have proper, modern working conditions and decent wages. We, as FISE, commit ourselves to consistently continue with the World Trade Union Federation and all the trade unions to be on the side of teachers in every corner of the globe. Because the right to education must belong to everyone.

World Federation of Trade Unions