I am at calicut in Kerala for the last two days. Today along with my wife, I went to shopping in the town and afterwards went to Vasantha Bhawan restaurant for coffee. When I was sitting there enjoying coffee, my mind went back several years. Yes, the place was not a restaurant at that time, but was the main Post Office in the city. Many of the meetings of the NFPTE meetings were held there and important decisions taken.

It is good that a new Head Post Office building has been constructed  later along with Recreation Club facilities also in the centre of the town. The P&T ( or rather Postal and BSNL) co-operative Credit Society is also functioning there. Even now that Head Post Office is the centre for many meetings of the Postal and BSNL Unions.

Still when the memory goes back and a nostalgia arises for the old post office, where I was sipping coffee. It also came to my mind that how many royal palaces have  been converted to five-star hotels, not only in Rajasthan, but all over India?

It is reported that the Communications Ministry has approached the Reserve Bank of India for grant of Banking Licence for India Posts. This is a good suggestion. In fact, the Post offices are even now doing banking business through Savings Accounts, Fixed Deposits etc. It will be an interesting fact to know that the India Posts has a bigger coverage than all the Scheduled Banks put together, with about 75,000 Post Offices throughout the country, more than 20,000 of them in the rural areas.

Instead of the proposals for closure of the post offices, which has been deferred for three years  due to the strike call by the postal unions, the India Post should increase the number of post offices to reach out at each and every village and rural area and also expand its business similar to the present proposal to have the banking services also on a large-scale which will benefit the common people.

In U.K., in addition to the banking services, the post offices have stationary marts, money exchange counters etc. with them. Why can’t the India Post also think about on these lines? I am sure NFPE and other postal unions may think about this.

The continued propaganda of the government that there is more workforce in the government establishments than required has been exposed as bogus. In fact, there is less staff than required and the services are suffering due to this shortage.

Hindu Daily in a write up in its issue dated 30th January by Praveen Swamy has exposed the  myth of overstaffing in Government services. He has compared the staff ratio with the number of population in some countries, especially United States, which is spear-heading neo-liberalisation process. While India has only 1,622 government servants for every one lakh people, US has 7,681. If this is limited to Central Government employees, including Railways, the ratio is 0nly 257 for one lakh population, while US has got 840 staff for the same population for the Federal Government.

Eminent Economist Shri V.K.Ramachandran has stated, “One of the most important lessons of the economic history of modern nations is that the most crucial requirements of social transformation can only be delivered by the public authority. A government that does not pay for skilled personnel to deliver education, health and land reform is one that condemns its people to under-development”. This is fully applicable to the Government of India.

While the population in India is growing, the number of government employees are reducing sharply. For example while there were about six lakh workers in each Postal and Telecom Departments, it is aroung 3 lakhs only in both. In the Railways also, there has been large reduction of work-force. One reason is that contract workers are engaged in place of regular jobs to deny many rights of the workers. Despite that the number of employees are very less compared to many other countries.

It is time that we demand for recruitment of more workers in the government services.

Today is, 30th January, the day of Martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi. I thought that I will visit the Gandhi Smriti (old Birla Bhawan, where Gandhiji used to stay in Delhi and where he was shot dead) to day. In addition to Rajghat, where the body of Gandhiji has been cremated and a beautiful memorial has been constructed, this is another important memorial to him. a Myself along with my wife went there by the afternoon. The Gandhi Smriti in on the side of the Tees January Marg (named on the day of death of Gandhiji)  a few kilometres away from the Parliament.  But there was difficulty to enter inside, since only pass-holders were allowed. However after a few minutes, we were able to get passes and entered the compound.

A special commemmorative programme was being held there in memory of Gandhiji. The entire compound was decorated and chairs as well as kambals were arranged for sitting. About 2,000 to 2,500 people were already there, a good majority being children in uniform white dress with Gandhi cap. The stage was aranged near the monument constructed where Gandhiji fell down being shot at. When we entered, Hindu, Christian, Budhist, Parsi, Bahai and Judaism prayers were being sung as also readings from Granth Sahib and Koran. After that eminent Drupad singers sang parayer songs for more than half an hour.

In between, Vice-President Shri Hamid Ansari as also Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh came with their families and after paying homage sat along with others till the prayer songs and Ram Dhun was completed.  Till the entire programme, it was calm and quiet. We returned immediately after the programme.

While we were returning, my thoughts started going back. Gandhiji upheld lofty ideals and wanted the people to follow his ideals. He died within 6 months of India getting Independence of which he was the undisputed leader. The Congress became the ruling party and held uninterrupted rule till 1977 on its own in a single party rule. Later also, except for some brief periods ,its coalition ruled the country. But what a contrast from the ideal India which was dreamt by Gandhiji and the present India after 65 years of Independence. Not only the Daridranarayanans’ condition has not improved, in fact it has worsened. The rich has become richer, the poor the poorer. About 50% of the people are still illiterate. The average income of a person is below Rs. 20. The Government, the leaders of which are claiming to be the followers of Mahatmaji, are claiming that Rs. 26 – 30 is sufficient for a person to live for one day! This government is subsiding the corporates more than the daridranarayanas. Instead of self sufficiency, they are depending upon USA and imperialist countries. The scarce natural resources are gifted to MNCs and big business  almost free. The PSUs are being privatised. Anti-labour laws are being adopted. Is this what Gandhiji dreamt of about a free India? Naturally not.

These are not issues which can be just passed off. These are genuine issues of the people of this country. United efforts and struggles to change the system has become very much necessary. The working class, the youth and other sections of the people have to unitedly put their entire efforts for a better India. That will be the best memorial for Gandhiji, the Father of the Nation.