Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Patron, NCCPA and Advisor AIBDPA attended and inaugurated Com.S.K.Vyas Memorial Day meeting on 12th February at Calicut on 12th February 2016 held at Head Post Office Recreation Club presided by Comrade A.V.Viswanathan, Dist. Secretary, CGPA and AIPRPA. The meeting was jointly organised by Confederation, CGPA, AIBDPA and AIPRPA. Com. VAN spoke in detail about the life and work of Com. Vyas and the great contributions made by him to the Central Government employees’ and Pensioners’ movement for more than six decades. Comrades Sivadasan, Convener, Confederation, K.Balan, AIBDPA and other leaders addressed.

On 13th February 2016, a meeting was held at Palakkad Post Office premises to observe Com.S.K.Vyas Memorial Day, presided over by Com. T.S.Parameswaran, senior leader CGPA. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Patron, NCCPA, inaugurated. He spoke about the great contributions made by Com. Vyas to the CG employees movement. Other comrades also addressed.

Working class organisations are like trees. The leaders are like the flowers and fruits for everybody to see and get appreciated. But the real strength is the deep roots under the earth which supplies water and food to the tree. They are the ordinary workers. Never ignore them or their issues. Nurture them and the organisation becomes healthy and stronger to defend the working class and their interests.

We  strongly condemn the attack on CPI(M) headquarters at New Delhi, AKG Bhawan and defacing the sign board by the RSS-Hindutwa forces. The intolerance towards secularism is increasing day by day. Government should take immediate action against the culprits.

Though 66 years have passed, the massacre of 50 communists inside the Salem Jail (on 11th February 1950)still haunt us.
The Congress government both at centre and in undivided Madras Province were hunting the Communist leaders and hundreds of them were put in various jails. Most of them were freedom fighters and had sacrificed their entire lives fighting for the independence of the country. The jailed comrades organised and demanded better treatment and eatable food. The reaction was the brutal firing against the communists inside the jail. 22 comrades were murdered in cold blood. One of them was well known to me, was my neighbour and father of my classmate. He was a weak old man, Unni Gurukkal. He was arrested just because he was Communist and put in jail. He also was shot dead in the jail massacre.
On this 66 anniversary of their martyrdom, we pay our respectful homage to these comrades!

Since my mobile Sim Card No. 9868231431 is not working, I have taken a BSNL connection for the present till I reach Delhi. The new number is 9446762140. VAN Namboodiri.

The government seems to be changing its policy of concessions to the senior citizens and others in Railways. At present up to 50% concession is given to senior citizens.
The move is to withdraw these concessions. As the first step, the concession for senior citizens in First class may be withdrawn. The reason mentioned is that instead of the Rs.40,000 crore, govt may allotting only Rs.30,000 crore. The new policy of the government is that Railways should be a commercial enterprise and not a service concern.
It is very clear that all these moves are intended to privatise Railways, the biggest service sector in India.

Most of the ITS officers who are working in BSNL and MTNL have not opted for absorption in the PSU, despite many chances given to them. While the 3,50,000 executives and non-executives at the time of corporatisation in 2000 got absorbed in BSNL, only very few ITS officers got absorbed. First they were on deputation and are now on permanent deputation to BSNL, but keep their lien in Government. They take all benefits of both Government and BSNL, but their future is not connected with the future of BSNL. If BSNL improves, they also get benefit. But if it goes down, there is no loss for them. They are under the safety of government service. This is an anomolous situation.
The future of BSNL depends a lot on the leadership of the organisation. For an effective, determined, committed, sincere and inspiring leadership, they should belong to the company and not to an outside organisation.
There should be a balance between personal interest and public interest.
I am not against the ITS officers or are not underrating their capabilities. I am only stating that they should belong to BSNL and use their capabilities for the same. This is a critical situation for BSNL. Either they should belong and work for BSNL or should belong and work for Government. Keeping their legs in two boats is to nobody’s gain.

BSNL Corporate office has issued orders on Membership Verification of non-executive unions in BSNL which will be held on 10-05-2016 and the result will be announced on 12-05-2016.

The CEC meeting of AIBDPA was held today, 1st February 2016, at Tirupati presided by Com.A.K.Bhattacharjee President. The draft report of the All India Conference was presented by Com.K.G.Jayaraj and was approved. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor addressed the meeting. Com.J.Sampath Rao, Y.S.Raju, Raja Reddy  and other leaders of the Reception Committee have made all arrangements for the effective holding of the AIC in this temple town.

As a regular traveller in the train, I am of the opinion that the Railways require a lot of reorganisation to provide a better service. Instead, government is trying to privatise it, stage by stage.
In the name of modernisation of railway stations, the government is handing of priceless railway land to the private sharks to make huge profit by monetising it.
Thr government should take the responsibility to modernise and not privatise. Railway is the biggest asset of the Nation.