Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and one of the greatest inventor and who changed the world for the better passed away on 6th September. The entire world has benefitted from his work and life.
My respectful homage to this great man!

2nd October is the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who led the freedom movement and sent the British capitalists out of India. The Indian people followed his footsteps in the freedom struggle.
Today, Indian President, Prime Minister and all those leading lights will pray at Raj Ghat where Gandhi lies.
But what about the ideals Gandhiji preached and practiced? They are forgotten by those mentioned above. He fought for the ‘daridra narayanas’. Has their condition improved? Not only it has gone down but also there is 1000% increase in the number of daridranarayanas.
Preaching and practising are different according to them.
To change the situation is the task of the working class and the toiling people.

It was really a shock to me to hear the sad news that Comrade A.Majeed, leader of the P and T Employees at Calicut has died in a road accident today, 30th September. He was riding on his bike when the accident happened. He was immediately taken to the hospital but could his life could not be saved.
Com. Majeed, who joined as a Postal Clerk in the 1970s completely got merged in the union activities from the day he joined. He had a very progressive outlook and was friendly with all. While I was in Calicut I had close connection with him in the union matters. In a very short time he took further responsibilities and became District Secretary of the NFPE etc. He was closely associated with the progressive cultural organisations and took a leading part in it. He was always in the mainstream of the cultural activities in Calicut. He was actively working arranging an exhibition for the CPI(M) Congress to be held at Calicut early next year.
At this comparatively young age the death has taken him away. It is a great loss to the trade union movement, CGE movement and the cultural front. I convey my heartfelt condolences to his wife and other members of the bereaved family, comrades and friends.

The history of the P andT Trade Union movement in India is a long story. It started in the early part of the 20th Century. Under the British Rule it was slavery for the people of India. But it was complete servility for the government employees. They were treated less than servants of the government. The wages were low. There was no trade unions. Workers were at the mercy of the government and also at the mercy of each and every white sahebs and mem sahebs. The workers were raging in their minds against the raw deals that they were getting. No body dared to question the British Empire which shined through out the world.
It was at this juncture that certain persons rose to accept the challenge and organise the workers for a better future. They were Babu Tarapada Mukherjee from the Postal side and Henry Barton from the Telegraphs. There was no telephones at that time.
Babu Tarapada first organised the Calcutta Postal workers under the Calcutta Postal Club, which in fact was a cover for the union activities.Gradually the Postal Union was formed. It was the nucleus of the P and T union movement in the country.
After hectic efforts in organising the Union and strengthening it Babu Tarapada passed away on 29th September 1929. Let us pay homage to this great pioneer on his 82nd death anniversary.
” Take it from me, Brothers, that petitions and memorials and supplications will count for nothing so long as you do not organise yourselves in a manner to convince the Government that you will no longer stand nonsense…Recognition is bound to come from the unwilling government as soon as you make your association strong”- From the Lahore Speech of Babu Tarapada

Today, 28th September is the Birth Day (1907) of the great Revolutionary and Martyr Bhagat Singh. He was hanged on 23rd March 1931 at the young age of 23 by the British Imperialists for his revolutionary acts for independence.
Comrade BT Ranadive wrote: “Bhagat Singh combined the hatred for the British rule with immense personal heroism, and became the symbol of the struggling nation, the embodiment of its hatred for foreign rule..”
I pay my respectful homage to one of the greatest revolutionary India has seen.

The Mavlankar Hall in Delhi was overflowing in the evening of 6th September 2011 with leaders and workers of Central Trade Unions who had come to pay their respectful homage to one of the greatest trade unions leaders the country has ever seen. The meeting was arranged by CITU in memory of Comrade M.K.Pandhe, former CITU President and PBM of CPI(M) who breathed his last in the early morning of 20th August in the Ram Manohal Lohia Hospital.
The meeting started at 16.15 hours presided by Comrade A.K.Padmanabhan, President CITU, who welcomed all. He spoke in brief about the great loss of CITU and the working class in the passing away of Comrade Pandhe. He mentioned about his achievement in bringing together the Central Trade Unions on the common issues of the workers.
The leaders of all the Central Trade Unions present including Comrades Mohamed Amin (CITU), Sanjeeva Reddy (INTUC) Gurudas Dasgupta (AITUC), Umraomal Purohit (HMS) and others paid high tributes to the work and commitment of Com. Pandhe. Comrade Prameela Pandhe, wife of Pandhe, was also present.
The condolence resolution moved by Com. Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU was unanimously adopted after all the participants stood for one minute in silence.
As one comrade pointed out this was probably one meeting of the Central trade Unions in Mavlankar Hall, in which Com. Pandhe was not present. But Pandhe was everywhere, in the larger than life photo in the background of the stage, in the photo where all leaders paid floral tributes and more than that in the minds of all those who were present.
Most of the workers who participated might be having many loving and inspiring memories of the great leader. He was close to every one, including the ordinary worker. He was so simple and approachable. High thinking and simple living was his habit.
I have my own memories of him of the last so many years. In the last 10 years or so, at least once in a week I used to meet him and get advice on the functioning of the union and various other matters.
In building and strengthening BSNLEU, Com. Pandhe’s contribution was priceless. He had inaugurated/ attended most of our All India Conferences and Central Working Committee meetings. Even one week before his death he inaugurated a class for BSNL workers in Trivandrum. Despite his ill health, he came to Trivandrum from Kolkata after the Central Committee meeting of the party at Kolkatta on 5-7 August to inaugurate the class on 9th instant. He returned to Delhi on the early morning of next day.
His life has been dedicated to the working class. Till last moment he worked for them.
My respectful homage to Comrade Pandhe! Heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and comrades!
Red Salute to Com. Pandhe!

From the early morning, comrades from all over the country started gathering at AKG Bhawan, the Central Committee office of the CPI(M) to pay their homage to the departed leader Comrade M.K.Pandhe. After the body was taken from the mortuary of RML Hospital, the same was brought to BTR Bhawan, the head quarters of CITU, of which he was the General Secretary / President since 1991 to 2010, a long period of 20 years. Homage was paid and wreaths placed by many central trade unions and independent federations and units of the CITU.
The body was then taken to AKG Bhawan, which reached at about 10-00 hours.It was received by Comrade Prakash Karat, General Secretary and other Polit Bureau members of the CPI(M). The body was placed at a specially prepared table. Homage was paid by the leaders first and then all the comrades who have come e by placing wreaths and flowers. Thousands of people came and paid homage.
On behalf of the BSNLEU, BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation and BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association, Comrades VAN Namboodiri, P.Asokababu, J.N.Mishra and S.C.Bhattachargee paid homage placing wreaths.
The body wasa taken in a decorated vehicle along with Comrade Pramila Pandhe and other relatives to the Lodhi Road Crematorium. Thousands of comrades led by Comrades Prakash Karat, General Secretary and other PB Members went through the road in a procession to the crematorium. The body was placed in the electrical crematorium by about 1600 hours amidst the shouting of ‘Comrade Pandhe Amar Rahe” “Red Salute to Comrade Pandhe” etc. slogans.Last of the slogans were led by Comrade Pramila Pandhe paying her last salute to her life partner.
Comrade Pandhe is no more. BUt his teachings and how he led the party and the trade union movement is well known to all. It is the responsibility and duty of all comrades to ensure to follow the correct path led by him to protect and defend the rights of the workers and the common people.
Red Salute to Comrade Pandhe!

Red Salute to Com.M.K.Pandhe, the leading light of the working class, who passed away today, 20th August 2001. He was 86.
The life of comrade Madhukar Kashiram Pandhe was completely dedicated to the working class and toiling masses. His active public life started from the student days. He became the Secretary of the Sholapur Students Union as early as in 1943 when he was only 18 years old. He joined the undivided Communist Party in the same year and also was elected as the Secretary of the city Committee of Sholapur.
Com. Pandhe was very active in the trade union front from the start. He functioned as the Secretary of AITUC in the 1960s. In the formation of CITU, he took an active part. Com. Pandhe was the General Secretary of CITU from 1990 and became its President from 1999 which he continued till 2010. In uniting the Central Trade Unions to fight against the anti-working class policies of the government, he took a leading role and was one its architect.
Comrade Pandhe was respected by the trade union leaders world-wide. Even though CITU did not affiliate with WFTE until the last Congress at Athens in 2010, Com. Pandhe was treated as one of the top trade union leaders globally. His speech was heard with rapt attention both at Havana and Athens Congresses of the WFTU.
Comrade Pandhe was elected to the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) in the 16th Party Congress and continued as PBM till his death.
He was friend, guide and teacher to the trade unions of the Central, State Government employees and others. As the General Secretary of the All India Telecom Employees Union as also BSNL Employees Union later, I had the fortune to be in contact with Comrade Pandhe for a long period, who guided me and other comrades and taught how to strengthen the union and serve the workers to protect their interests. The BSNL Employees Union from its humble position became the biggest union in BSNL as also th only recognised and representative union within a short time. Comrade Pandhe had a big share in this growth.
Com. Pandhe was always available even to the ordinary workers. On each and every issue he could guide and advise comrades like us from his long trade union experience. His vast knowledge in the trade union and all matters was a special phenomena.
In forming the BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association as well as the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation, he gave very valuable advice to us.
Even 10 days back, he took a class for the BSNL workers despite his failing health. He spoke in detail about the tasks on the trade union front for about one hour which was inspiring and most educative. He always stressed the need for the democratic functioning of the union. Many times he discussed about the failing health of BSNL and the need of the Unions to take initiative to improve the services to the people and strengthen the company. He pointed out how certain other PSUs improved after a steep decline. Myself personally and BSNLEU as a whole will severely miss Comrade Pandhe, who as stated earlier, was our friend, guide and philosopher.
I pay my respectful homage to Com. Pandhe and convey my heartfelt condolences to Comrade Prameela Pandhe and her family in their great loss as also to CITU who lost their stalwart leader.
Red Salute to Comrade M.K.Pandhe!

Very sad news. Comrade M.K.Pandhe, Senior Vice-President, CITU, PBM CPI(M) and the leading light of the working class expired last midnight at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital Delhi. Com Pandhe was the senior most trade union leader in the country. He was 86. He was the guide and teacher to the BSNL Employees Union. My deep grief and heartfelt condolences to party, all comrades and the bereaved family in this great loss. – V.A.N.Namboodiri

Three years earlier (2008) on this day,1st August, Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, former General Secretary of the CPI(M) and freedom fighter passed away leaving a legacy of serving the people and the country for more than seven decades.
Com. Surjeet has been close to the Telecom / BSNL trade union movement. During the difficult days in the 1990s, he helped us to maintain the organisation,advance and later to become the biggest union in BSNL.
My respectful homage to Comrade Surjeet on his death anniversary!