JOURNEYS & JOURNEYS – 29

Jumping out of train

November 2006. The Third Membership Verification for grant of recognition to the non-executive union  in BSNL was in process. Leaders of all unions were touring the country, holding meetings and canvassing support from the employees. As General Secretary of BSNL Employees Union, along with other leaders in the alliance I was in Bihar Circle for a two day tour on 20th and 21st November 2006.

The first meeting on 20th was in Samastipur. We had to catch the train to Patna, where a big meeting was arranged in the evening. The meeting prolonged  and  somehow by the time we reached the station, the express train which we intended to travel had already left. Next  was a local train which would take much time. But no other go. Only 70 -80 km to Patna, but delayed due to  stopping long time in many stations.    Frantic calls coming from Patna asking us to reach immediately as a large number of workers are waiting. The meeting was fixed at 17.00 hours, but by the time we were nearing Patna, it was  almost 1800 hours. Coms. J.N.Mishra, All India President, B.P.Singh, Circle Secretary, N.K.Sreevastava, P.N.Jha and other leaders were with me.

Just about one 1 km before reaching Patna Junction, the train stopped for want of signal. I was reading a book and  did not notice that others were getting down there, since the meeting hall was near. It was an on the spot decision,  as getting down there will save at least half an hour. When they called me to get down, I rushed to the door. By the time, the train has started moving slowly. One comrade  who was behind me told not to get down, but go to Patna station and get an auto to the meeting hall. But I was not in a mood to be further late for the meeting. Being winter, the light was dim outside. Anyhow, I jumped  down from the slowly moving train to the side of the railway line, which  was full of grass.

The jump was perfect and I bent down forward. Had I bent backwards, I would have been under the train. Then only I realised  the danger. When I stood up, I saw that my pants and shirt were full of cow dung, on which I had jumped. Our comrades were panicked when they saw me  jump. But seeing me covered with cow dung, they started laughing. I told them  let us go to the meeting  without waste of time. We almost ran and reached the meeting hall. Some of the people had already left. There I cleaned the pants and shirt and spoke for some time. Com.R.P.Singh, FNTO Circle Secretary, presided. By the time the comrade who got down at Patna came back, the meeting was almost over.

The Meeting was saved and I had the satisfaction that I attended the meeting. But I got  a clear warning through experience against jumping from a moving train in future.

V A N Namboodiri  29.10.2024