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Homage to Com. K. Adinarayana, stalwart of P and T TU Movement

16 Monday Jun 2014

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17th June 2014 is the 11th death anniversary of Comrade K.Adinarayana, veteran leader of the P and T Trade Union Movement. There have been many illustrious leaders of the Posts and Telegraphs Trade Union Movement in the past and present and will be some more in the future. But it is difficult to find another comrade like K. Adinarayana, who had come from the lowest strata and through sincerity, dedication and hard-work had reached the highest leadership both in the P and T and the of Central Government Employees’ movement.

His life has been a saga of struggle and sacrifice. Com.Adi, as he is affectionately called, was involved in mass movements from a very young age which resulted in his discontinuing formal education itself. He was jailed for three and half years during 1950-53 for participation in the great Telengana movement. He joined P and T Department in 1954 as ED. He retired in June 1986 as LSG clerk. From day one of joining the P and T he was in the thick of the movement. He was elected as the General Secretary of Postmen and Class IV Union in 1968 and continued till 1997. He was elected as Secretary General, NFPE in 1992 and vacated the position in 2001 due to ill health.

I had been fortunate to have the opportunity of working together with Com. Adi in the movement for many years, especially after I joined CHQ of All India Telecom Employees Union Class III New Delhi as its President in 1991 and later as its General Secretary from 1994. On all matters of importance I used to consult him and seek his advice. He was suffering from many ailments, but still used to be very active. His residence in the V.P.House was a centre for union leaders to go and discuss issues with him.

He was staying at his ancestral home in Hyderabad after leaving New Delhi. When the sad news of his death reached, along with Coms. C.C.Pillai, then SG NFPE, K.K.N.Kutty, Convener of Confederation and Des Raj Sharma, GS Postmen and Group D Employees, I also went to pay our respects to the departed leader. The body was taken for funeral after we reached there. Hundreds of CG employees, postal workers and others were there. We placed wreaths and paid our homage.

on his 11th death anniversary, I pay homage to Com. K.Adinarayana, whose life was completely dedicated to the cause of the working class.
Red Salute to Com. Adinarayana !

Scrap the Telephone Advisory Committees of BSNL

01 Sunday Jun 2014

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The Telephone Advisory Committees (TAC) constituted for BSNL is no longer necessary. It was constituted at the time when there was only DOT providing telephone services. There are members from 20 to 80 in these committees which are at SSA and circle levels.The requirement of the same is over after the private companies have started providing services. No private telecom company is having such TACs. It is a huge expenditure for BSNL towards, TA and other expenditure of the members, for holding meetings etc.

The new minister should see that these TACs are scrapped immediately.

100 Days Action Plan by NDA Government

30 Friday May 2014

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It is usual for any new government to announce some action programme immediately after taking over the reins of the government. It is well and good. The Modi Government has also announced a 100 Days Action Programme in the same way.

The past experience is that the earlier governments completely failed not only to implement its assurances but also failed in its announced action programmes. They know that people have short memory.

The media has given wide publicity to the action programme of the Modi Government. Each Minister is announcing his/her priority and plans.

Let us wait for the results. Hope the action programmes are implemented, which are beneficial to the people and the workers. The working class will certainly rise against those programmes like disinvestment, privatisation, reforms in the labour laws to favour the management etc. and agitate to change them.

Ravi Shankar Prasad to become Communications Minister

26 Monday May 2014

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It is being reported that Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad from Bihar will be the Communications Minister in the Modi Cabinet. He is expected to take oath today along with the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers.

Welcome and Congratulations to the new Communications Minister!

Tipu’s Ring auctioned for Rs. 1.42 crore in London

23 Friday May 2014

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Ring_generic_thinkstock_360x270_1It is reported from London today that a ring of Tipu Sultan with an inscription ‘Ram’ has been auctioned for Rs. 1.42 crore. The name of the person who bid for the ring is unknown. The bid amount was ten times more than the auction amount. The inscription ‘Ram’ is written in Devanagari.

The ring was in the finger of Tipu Sultan when he was killed in the fight at srirangapatnam with the british in 1799. It was taken from his finger by Arthur Wellesley, the Commander of the British Regiment. Later it was in the custody of the his nephew Fitzroy Somerset and then his inheritors. It is now bid for Rs. 1.42 crores.

It is well known that innumerable treasures like this have been looted by the British army, officers and even British civilians from India. They captured many kingdoms and treasures were taken to Britain. In the museums in Britain, one can see thousands of such articles and valuables looted by the British. Much more will be in the residences of lords and noblemen who looted them from India.

The rulers of independent India should have demanded return of these valuable and article of historical importance. But they did nothing of that sort. Now that a new government is going to be formed, it is their responsibility to get all these back to its original country. Will they do it?

Tragedy in Turkey – More than 300 workers killed in mines.

20 Tuesday May 2014

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Reports have been received from WFTU about the shocking incident in which more than 300 miners have been killed in a mine accident.The accident has happened due non-taking of precautionary-cautionary measures.Instead of trying to help the workers and their families, the government of Turkey is keeping mum. The WFTU General Secretary Com. Mavrikose and a team of leaders have reached Turkey and are taking necessary action on behalf of the workers.
The BSNL workers and pensioners express their shock in this tragedy and the inhuman attitude of the Turkey Authorities. We also express solidarity and support to the workers of turkey.

The report received from WFTU is given below:

“From today, Friday the 16th of May 2014, a high-level delegation arrived to Istanbul, Turkey to stand on the side of the Turkish working class in these moments of great tragedy caused by the employers’ and the government’s crime at the Soma Coal Mine.

The delegation headed by the WFTU General Secretary, George Mavrikos accompanied by the WFTU Deputy General Secretary, Valentin Pacho and Toum Ferhat, Unionist and Interpreter met with the leadership of DISK headed by its General Secretary Arzu Çerkezoğlu and expressed the condolences on behalf of the 90 million members of the WFTU to the Turkish working class and the solidarity in their struggle.

“The WFTU mission which brings us here together with our Turkish brothers in a tragic moment is a moral and active form of solidarity to the working class of Turkey, to the trade union movement in their struggle against the private-ownership of the mines, for the satisfaction of their demands in safety measures in all workplaces” George Mavrikos stated in front of numerous journalists at the Press Conference held at the DISK Headoffices and added: “We, the trade unions, will not stop in the bargaining for better wages, we will do anything in our power to protect the safety of our members and to struggle for their livelihood”.

The WFTU delegation will remain in Istanbul and continue its meetings with trade union Organizations and acts of solidarity.

***

The Turkish media broadcast the WFTU Solidarity Mission

“During my 10 years of duty, having visited more than 70 countries and heard reports for numerous labour tragedies, I have never heard a Prime Minister say that the workers fate was to die. The Soma Coal explosion was no fate, it was a crime!” is they main quote of General Secretary’s input at the Press Conference held at the DISK Headoffices on the morning of May 16th, 2014 broadcasted widely by the Turkish media. The WFTU General Secretary was referring to the Prime Minister of Turkey, Mr. Erdogan’s vitriolic statement that death is part of the miners work.

Hurriyet under the title: “Soma was not God’s destiny, but a murder” focuses on the WFTU’s critisism towards the Government of Turkey and the employers.
Sondakika focuses on the impact this tragedy had to the international working class, since as Mavrikos noted “Soma workers are in the heart and the minds of the workers worldwide”.
“Soma is a crime of capitalism, based on its lust for profit” is Evrensel‘s title of the article covering the WFTU Solidarity Mission.
HaberYurdum quotes DISK’s General Secretary’s input that “Turkey witnessed a privatization boom at the expense of the workers lives”. Haberler further included the latest information about the health status of the DISK President who was victim of the state violence against the demostrators at the previous day’s rallies.
Bugun goes with the title: “Prime Minister’s comment “this is their destiny” was never heard before”.
Memleket reports the action taken by DISK and other unions to organize strikes and work-stoppages to honour the victims and to demonstrate against privatization and lack of safety measures in the mines. It makes particular reference to the solidarity and the expression of condolenses being a priority to the purpose of the WFTU Mission to Turkey. “We, the class-oriented trade unions, will not stop in the bargaining for better wages, we will do anything in our power to protect the safety of our members and to struggle for their livelihood” is the quote from the General Secretary’s input”.

19th May – Death Anniversary of Comrades P.Sundarayya and E.K.Nayanar

19 Monday May 2014

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19th May is the death anniversary of two of the veteran leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – Com. P.Sundarayya (1985) and Com. E.K.Nayanar (2004). Both were the Members of the Politbureau of CPI(M) till their death.
The CPI(M) observed the Birth Centenary of Com.P.Sundarayya, who was the General Secretary of CPI(M) since its inception in 1964. He was the leader of the Telangana struggle. He was one of the pioneers of the Communist movement in India. He was a Member of Parliament and showed how a communist has to work in the elected posts, like in Parliament.
Com.E.K.Nayanar was the Chief Minister of Kerala thrice and one of the most popular leaders, Kerala have ever seen. He had functioned as the Editor of ‘Deshabhimani’, the Party Paper in Kerala and was also the State Secretary of CPI(M). His humorous speeches and open-hearted friendship even to political rivals are well appreciated.
I had the opportunity to meet Com. Nayanar several times and bring many issues of the workers to his notice for settlement. He was always much helpful.

On the death anniversary of both these Communist leaders, I pay my respectful homage.

CPI(M) Statement on Election Results

16 Friday May 2014

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CPI(M) Statement on Results of General Elections is given below:

Friday, May 16, 2014
The verdict of the people in the 16th Lok Sabha election has been clear and decisive. There has been an anti-Congress wave which has routed the Congress and the UPA. The BJP has gained from this anti-Congress wave resulting in a big victory for the BJP and the NDA. There was an unprecedented use of money power in these elections.

The results for the CPI(M) and the Left parties have been disappointing. The Left Democratic Front made gains in Kerala and the Left Front in Tripura won with increased margins. However, the widespread rigging, violence and intimidation targeting the Left Front in the elections in West Bengal has led to a distorted result which does not reflect the popular support for the CPI(M) and the Left Front. The Election Commission failed to intervene to rectify the situation from the third to the fifth round of polling in West Bengal.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) greets the thousands of cadres and supporters of the CPI(M) and the Left Front in West Bengal who have worked courageously in the face of ceaseless attacks in these elections. The Party will identify the weaknesses and take steps to overcome them.

The people have voted against the policies of the Congress-led UPA government which resulted in price rise, agrarian distress and corruption. They voted for a change and for relief from the problems afflicting them. The CPI(M) will continue to work to defend the interests of the working people and to safeguard the secular democratic framework of the country.

Election results – Huge Win for BJP ; Congress routed

16 Friday May 2014

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The BJP alone has won clear majority with 282 in the 2014 general elections.With its allies it has got 333. BJP need not have the support of any body else to rule the country.

2014 General Elections have seen the all time rout of the Congress. It has been decimated to the lowest minimum of 49 seats and with its allies NDA is at 63. The ruling party for 10 years, Congress has been humbled by the people. The unlimited corruption, crony capitalism and misgovernance of the UPA has been rejected by the people.

Left Parties also have suffered. Its seats have been reduced to 13, from the earlier 25. While it has improved its tally from 4 to 8 in Kerala and Tripura has retained its two with increased votes, it lost in W.Bengal. It is not surprising that Left lost in W.Bengal, where democracy is butchered and the Left is being attacked brutally by the Trinamool goondas with the support of the police. In many booths/constituencies, people in large numbers have not been allowed to vote.

The BSP in UP and DMK in T.Nadu have drawn flak without getting even a single seat. This is the case with Congress in many states also.

But despite huge victory all over India, BJP could not open account in Kerala.

The people have given the verdict. The parties which have lost have to introspect why they have lost. BJP,which has won and is going to rule the country also has to introspect and ensure that it does not go the same was of the Congress. The working class has to continue its eternal vigilance in the new situation.

‘Antilia’, Residence of Ambani -Most Expensive house in the world

15 Thursday May 2014

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‘Antilia’, the 27 storey residence of Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai is the most expensive outrageous home in the world with a cost of more than thousands of crores of rupees. While crores of people in the country has not even a roof above them and sleep in the pavements and roads, one family stays in a super-palatial skyscraper with six floors for underground parking, three helicopter pads and hundreds of staff to run the house. This is atrocious, outrageous and intolerable.

This is all the result of the anti-people neo-liberal policy being pursued by both the NDA and UPA governments for more than last two decades. This filthy neo-liberalisation, which on the one side makes the rich the richer and the poor poorer should be defeated. The report in the Business Line is reproduced below:

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NEW YORK, MAY 14:
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani’s skyscraper residence in Mumbai is the most expensive billionaire home in the world according to a Forbes list, which also includes Indian-origin steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal’s houses in London.

Ambani’s 27-storey, 400,000 sq ft skyscraper home ‘Antilia’, named after a mythical island in the Atlantic, tops the Forbes list of the most expensive homes in the world.

“The title of the most outrageously expensive property in the world still belongs to Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia in Mumbai,” Forbes said, adding that it is “far and away” the world’s most expensive home, with construction costs reported between $1-2 billion.

The house has six floors of underground parking, three helicopter pads, and allegedly requires a staff of 600 to keep it running.

To put Antilia’s scale and cost into perspective, Forbes compared it to ‘7 World Trade Centre’, a 52-storey tower that stands near Ground Zero in Manhattan, with 1.7 million sq ft of office space, and built at a cost of $2 billion. ( Courtesy: Business Line)