The Circle Conference of BSNLEU, T.Nadu Circle started to-day, 24th June, at Tirupur. As usual, flag hoisting, homage to martyrs, Inaugural session all were systematically held.

In the evening, an open session was held inaugurated by Com. P. Sampath, senior trade union leader as also the Convener of the T.Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF). In his speech he explained the inhuman treatment meted out to the dalits and the system of untouchability existing in many places even now. The action programme organised under the TNEUF was also explained. The full house with more than 1000 comrades, heard it in rapt attention. It touched the inner cord of the workers. At the end of the speech he appealed for generous donations for continuing the programmes.

There was immediate and very positive reaction. Comrades started coming to the stage and giving donation one after another. Some comrades went to the participants and collected there also. I also donated Rs. 1000. After about 10-15 minutes the collection was over. The donation received was more than 47,000. The Circle union added the balance and an amount of Rs. 50,000 was handed over to Com.Sampath, convener of the TNUEF.

Everybody appreciated the generous donation. More than that the workers felt a commitment to fight to eradicate untouchability and to fight for the down-trodden.

It is unfortunate that the Maruti Management has not learnt any lessons from the earlier strikes of the workers. Instead of discussing and settling issues with the workers union, the management seems to be again and again victimising and provoking the workers.

In the scuffle between the management officers and workers yesterday one life has been lost and a large number of officers and workers are hospitalised. It is reported that the scuffle took place after one of the officers made casteist remarks against a worker.

A high level enquiry should be conducted so that such ugly happenings should be avoided.

The statement of the US President Obama on the urgent need for reforms in India has been warmly welcomed by the India Inc. And the government reaction has been very mild at the criticism by the US. We can understand that the corporates, India Inc etc. are interested only in how to reap maximum profit. But the Government has shown servitude to the US by taking a very mild stand. Especially after the India-US Nuclear deal, India is taking this attitude of servitude, which no nation can adopt. It has been seen once in the murder of a fisherman by the US Navy ship in the Dubai coast. Again there was only a mild reaction. But it was different to a certain extent when two fishermen were killed in the Kerala coast by an Italian ship. This servitude is dangerous to the country and is completely against the neutral stand taken by the Government immediately after Independence.

If it was a Chinese ship that shot the fishermen or if the comment against the Indian government was made by the Chinese Prime minister, what would have been the shouting and angry statements that the India Inc, the media and the government would have made?

The Nationalisation of Banks in 1969 was a very important decision by the Indira Government which changed the entire situation for a better finance and banking for the whole country. The banks were nationalised on 19th July 1969. Now it is 43 years after nationalisation.  There are lakhs of workers in these PSUs and the latter saved us from the recession of 2007-2008, when most of the capitalist countries had to face serious situation.

But nevertheless, the present  UPA II government is trying to weaken the PSU banks and they may privatise also if possible. The government is more interested in the private banks. The PSU banks are compelled to bail out the corporates and as a result their NPAs ( arrears of loans) are increasing.

But the bank employees are well organised under the United Forum of Bank Employees and have conducted  continuous struggles to save the industry and the interests of the workers.

Best Wishes to the Bank Workers and their organisations on this day!

All over the world the 94th birthday of Nelson Mandela, the icon of steadfastness, suffering and  sacrifice and leader of the South Africa’s independence struggle was celebrated. He was put in solitary confinement in jail for more than 40 years by the British imperialists in their move to crush the independence movement. But British were at last compelled to leave S.Africa. The South African Congress  and the Communist Party together fought the struggle and even after independence they are ruling the country jointly.

Nelson Mandela was the first President of the free South Africa. There were great celebrations all over S.Africa. In Delhi prayers and meeting were held at Rajghat and other places.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Dy. Chairman Planning Commission has directed all the states to privatise the power supply in major cities/towns. This suggestion is part of the privatisation policy of the government and is intended to help the private companies to reap huge profit. Whatever has happened wherever the power supply has been handed over to private companies is well-known. The prices are increased, supply is bad and the people are in difficulty. But the government is not worried about. They want to relinquish from their responsibility of supplying power at minimum charges and want to help the power companies to reap high profit.

This government move is to be opposed strongly by all and defeated in the proposal stage itself. Other wise, the woes of the people will increase only. The ordinary people will be completely deprived of power supply and only the rich will be able get electricity.

Tens of thousands of people rallied at a Tokyo park today, 16th July, demanding that Japan abandon nuclear power as the country prepares to restart another reactor shut down after last year’s tsunami-generated meltdown at the Fukushima power plant. Led by Nobel-winning novelist Kenzaburo Oe, pop star Ryuichi Sakamoto and visual artist Yoshitomo Nara, the protesters expressed outrage over a report that blamed the Fukushima disaster on Japan’s culture of “reflexive obedience” and held no individuals responsible. Japan ordered all its nuclear power plants shut down for safety inspections after last year’s March tsunami and earthquake set off multiple meltdowns at Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. Some 150,000 people evacuated from a 20-kilometre zone around the plant because of radiation fears, and the area is deemed unsafe to live in more than a year later. The disaster, the world’s second-worst nuclear accident after Chernobyl, has deeply divided Japan, which had been previously bullish on nuclear technology. Today’s rally at sprawling Yoyogi Park was the latest and among the biggest drawing possibly as many as 200,000 people, according to organizers in a series of large protests that is unusual for normally reserved Japanese. “We want to leave a world without nuclear power for our children,” said Takeshi Shinoda, a hospital worker, wearing a “No Nukes” T-shirt and strolling with his 3-year-old son in a long line of demonstrators. The movement’s leaders say they have collected 7.4 million signatures for a petition demanding a phase-out of nuclear power. Until last month, when Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda decided to restart the reactor at Ohi plant in central Japan, all of this nation’s 50 working reactors had been offline. The second reactor at Ohi is set to go online later this week. Noda has said some nuclear energy is needed to ensure an ample power supply and protect people’s livelihoods. Japan’s economy is still struggling after last year’s disaste. The people are dead aginst for restarting the nuclear plants.

I am back from tour and has joined CHQ  yesterday, 13th July. My thanks to all comrades who wished me well during the period of tour. I am trying to catch up with the backlog of work. Thank you all.