JOURNEYS & JOURNEYS  – 23

Journey with Com. Chittabrata Majumdar

A meeting of the Central Executive Committee of BSNLEU was fixed at Pune on 15-17 June 2005 and I had my flight booked. I reached the airport in time, checked-in and got the boarding pass. I saw Com.Chittabrata Majumdar, M.P. ,  General Secretary CITU, sitting in the lounge. Went and met him. Of course he was coming to inaugurate the CEC on our invitation. He was not feeling well and was unable to walk. I spoke with the air-port staff and they came with a wheel chair to enable him to board the flight through the lift. I  went with him assisting, when required. It was an Indian Airlines flight. We boarded the flight by the lift available. He was provided a seat in the first row of the economic class by the young air-hostess. I requested her to allot me a seat near to  him so that I can be of assistance, if required. She did not mind me and I had to go to my seat somewhat irritated, since the passengers were entering the flight. I felt very uneasy about Com. Chittabrata.

After the plane was in air, I went to the air-hostess’s cabin and spoke in a bit angry tone, why she did not allow me a nearby seat to assist my companion. All of a sudden her face became red and I was worried whether she was going to cry. She told me in  broken voice that she did not hear me, she is new to the job and please do not complain to higher authorities. Now I was worried. I told her no problem and that I am not going to complain to anybody. In fact she did not violate any rule. I went to Com. Majumdar, but he was already sleeping. Did not want to disturb him. Came back. By the time we reached Pune, he was feeling better.

I learned an important lesson. Don’t be rude to anybody, especially to women.

Next day Com. Chittabrata inaugurated the CEC and delivered a meaningful speech. By then he was was quite well and returned to Delhi.