Calcutta was the capital of British India till 1912. Calcutta (now Kolkata) is full of heritage buildings and historical monuments as part of the legacy of the British Rule and earlier. Buildings which accommodated the first Post Office, the first Telephone Exchange. the first Reserve Bank of India – all still exist there beautifully constructed. Victoria Memorial, Writers Building and hundreds of heritage buildings are there. While visiting Calcutta, I always used to see and appreciate such heritage buildings. According to my suggestion, a museum on ‘Telegraphs’ was started at Calcutta, after the Telegraph services were stopped.

It seems that the shifting of Capital to Delhi was a shock to Calcutta, from which it could not recover fully despite 105 years have passed. Today’s ‘Hindu’ has reported that a movement is coming up to safeguard and protect these heritage buildings from encroachment and destruction mostly by land mafia. Well and Good!

It is most necessary that these heritage buildings and monuments are well maintained for the posterity to see.

The Fifth Circle Conference of BSNLEU got started at Khammam today, 25th March 2017. This is the biggest telecom Circle in India, both in number of employees as also in number of BSNL Employees Union. However the circle union will be bifurcated in to A.P. and Telangana circles in this conference, since BSNL has already bifurcated the same.

Com.Mohan Reddy, Circle President, BSNLEU presided in the open session.Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri Founder General Secretary inaugurated.Coms. Sai Babu, GS CITU Telangana state, P.Abhimanyu GS BSNLEU, P.Asokababu, VP BSNLEU,J.Sampath Rao Circle Secretary and other leaders addressed.

More than 700 comrades are attending. The Conference will continue tomorrow.

According to Forbes list of richest people in the world India has moved to 4th place with 101 billionaires among the total of 2043 world over.

United States of America tops the list with 565, China second with 319, followed by Germany 114.

2043 richest people in world have combined net worth of $ 8.67 trillion, a record 18% increase over last year.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates tops a record 4th time with $ 86 billion.

Mukesh Ambani has retained the top position in India with $ 23.2 billion.

Thanks to the neo-liberal policies which makes the rich, richest and the poor, poorest. !  

Yogi Adityanathnath, the controversial extreme right wing  Hindutwa RSS leader,  has sworn as the Chief Minister of U.P. the most populated and strategic state, which has provided many Prime Ministers to the country. What the BJP and the RSS (though it has stated that it has no role in the selection of the CM) through this selection wants to convey to the Country?

There is no doubt that the secular democratic forces will have to strengthen themselves by uniting like minded persons  for a serious struggle to safe guard the secular credentials of the country.

Respectful homage to the memory of Comrade EMS Namboodiripad on his 19th death anniversary on 19th March 2017!

World renowned Communist, former General Secretary of both undivided CPI as well as CPI(M), twice Chief Minister of Kerala  as well as the initiator of the great revival of Kerala, Com. EMS is one of the greatest leaders India has ever produced.  The land reforms initiated by him in Kerala in his first term as Chief Minister of Kerala in 1957 entirely changed the future of Kerala people for the better.

Red Salute to Com. EMS!

As assured by DDG (Estt), DoT to Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA during discussion  on 14-03-2017, orders raising the ceiling for gratuity to Rs.20 lakhs for BSNL employees also has been issued on 16-03-2017. The issue was pending for some time. (AIBDPA website)

Gurgaon Court on 11th March 2017 has acquitted 117 workers, while convicting 31, in connection with the violence in the factory premises four years back, which resulted in the death of one Manager. The violence has broken out when the management tried to bring blacklegs to defeat the justified strike of the Maruti workers.

In connivance with the Suzuki management, the Haryana Government arrested about 150 workers and implicated them all in the case. There was no trial for years and all of them were kept in jail. Even bail was not granted to most of the workers. The central trade unions organised protest actions against this brutal attack.

At last, the judgment has been delivered convicting 31 workers, while acquitting 117. In fact there was no case against them at all. It was only to terrorise the union and the workers that the case continued for so long.

It is also to be noted that all the office-bearers of the union are implicated in the case and they are the people convicted. The powerful Maruti Management and  the Haryana Government are part of this conspiracy. There is no doubt that the Trade unions will file appeal against the conviction.

Our full support and solidarity to the Maruti workers and their union for their heroic struggle.

Lakhs of Central Government employees are going on strike on 16th March 2017 as per the call of the Confederation of CG Employees and Workers on the demands already submitted to the government. Extend wholehearted support and solidarity!

Our Warm Greetings to all our friends, comrades and well-wishers on the occasion of Holi, the Festival of Colours!