DOT-BSNL Pensioners on Struggle Path 

 V.A.N.Namboodiri

The Second Triennial All India Conference of All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) held at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh on 2-3 February 2016 has called upon the pensioners to continue the struggle for defending their hard earned rights and fight against the anti-worker, anti-pensioner policies of the government.

The Conference started with the flag hoisting. National Flag was hoisted by Com. A.K.Bhattacharjee, President AIBDPA and Union flag by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor. All the delegates paid respectful homage ­­­­­­at the Martyrs Column.

The Conference was inaugurated by veteran trade union leader and CITU Vice-President Comrade T.R.Rengarajan, M.P., who severely criticized the neo-liberal policies being implemented by the central government. Unless the brutal exploitation of the unorganized workers, who are more than 90% of the total workforce in the country,  is opposed and defeated,  even the existing rights and benefits of the workers and pensioners earned through decades of  hard struggles, will be in danger, he stated. He congratulated the AIBDPA for taking up the issues of the pensioners and organizing sustained struggles.

Com. A.K.Bhattacharjee, All India President AIBDPA presided. Shri Y.Srinivasulu Reddy, MLC, Chairman, Reception Committee, welcomed all. Comrades P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU, V.A.N.Namboodiri, Member, TUI(P and R),  Animesh Mitra, Secretary General, BSNLCCWF, K.Raghavendran,  General Secretary, AIPRPA, P.V.Chandrasekharan, Patron, AIBDPA, K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA, J.Sampath  Rao, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Andhra Pradesh, Y.S.Raju, General Secretary, Reception Committee, ShriM.S.A.Nutan, GMTD, Tirupati  addressed.

The Conference was held at the spacious Sri Rama Tulasi Kalyana  Mandapam which was named “S.K.Vyas Nagar”, in memory of the legendary leader of the central government employees and pensioners, who passed away last year. More than 1000 delegates/visitors/observers attended the Conference. A good number of women delegates were present.  Banners and flags from the participating circle unions and greetings from sister unions filled up the conference venue.

The Delegates Session started in the afternoon of the first day. Draft Report of Activities for the last three years since the Conference at Kannur was presented by the General Secretary. The issues taken up by the Association, the agitations organized, the growth of the organization, relations with the sister unions, effort to improve BSNL and its services – all were reported in detail in the report.  AIBDPA is affiliated with National Co-Ordination Committee of Pensioners Association (NCCPA), the umbrella organization of central pensioners as also to Trade Union International (Pensioners & Retirees) which is part of the World Federation of Trade Unions(WFTU). AIBDPA has been participating in all the struggles and programmes given call by the Central Trade Unions and also the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations.  The Audited Accounts for the last three years was presented by Com.M.P.Kunhanandan, Treasurer.

About 40 delegates spoke on orgnaisational matters as well as issues of the pensioners. The discussion was both educative and to the point indicating the maturity of the delegates, most of whom were active leaders of the union while in service. The delegates severely criticized the retrograde recommendations of the VII CPC. Both the Report and the Accounts were adopted unanimously after discussion by the delegates.

The Conference continued on 3^rd February when many important Resolutions were adopted. These included on the recommendations of the VII CPC,  Revival of BSNL, demands of the pensioners and retirees, against PFRDA, On Communal Harmony, against intolerance etc. Constitutional amendments increasing the Membership Fee etc. were adopted after discussion.

Office-bearers were unanimously elected with Comrades V.A.N.Namboodiri (Advisor), P.V.Chandrasekharan (Patron) A.K.Bhattacharjee (President), K.G.Jayaraj (General Secretary) and Aravindakshan Nair (Treasurer).

The Reception Committee had made excellent arrangements for the holding of the All India Conference, which was well appreciated by the delegates and a resolution passed to that effect.

Tirupati AIC is another milestone in the forward march of the BSNL-DOT Pensioners and their dear organization AIBDPA.