It is reported in Business Line today, 24th August 2011, that the Planning Commission has advocated dilution of government equity in PSU Banks to below 51%. This in fact means that the PSU Banks are going to be privatised. Already, the government is considering for allowing private business houses to start banks. In addition, the government wants to privatise the Public Sector Banks also.
The UPA II government is going fast with its disinvestment /privatisation plans. Unless strong struggles are organised and the common people mobilised against these so called reforms, no PSU will exist in future.

It was on this fateful day, 24th August 1991, that Mikhail Gorbachev resigned from the post of General Secretary of Communist Party of Soviet Union (CPSU) and dissolved the same. The USSR also collapsed with the various units of the Soviet Union disaffiliating from USSR.
The Soviet Union formed with the 1917 socialist revolution under the leadership of Comrade V.I.Lenin grew in to a mighty force within a short time despite attack from all sides. The defeat of Hitler in the II World War and the conquering of Berlin by the Red Army saved the world from a fascist dictator ship. In all spheres USSR advanced with even surpassing USA in space journey. It had a mighty defence force also.
But the revisionist leadership of Gorbachev and certain drawbacks resulted in the collapse of the USSR. Eventhough CPSU was dissolved by Gorbachev, it still exists with a good following. India’s relation with USSR was always good and the former helped India in getting industrialised.
The co-operation between Russia, China and India should function against the hegemony of the USA led imperialism.

Members of Parliament belonging to Left and non-BJP non-Congress parties organised demonstration before Parliament strongly protesting against the delay in passing a strong anti-corruption Lok Pal Bill. They also demanded that the government should immediately act to discuss with Anna and sort out the issue by adopting a strong Lokpal Bill.
Demonstrations were held through out the country as per the call of the Left and other non-Congress non-BJP parties.

The Circle Union of All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) was formed on 23rd August in a well attended Circle Convention of Pensioners held at the RTTC conference Hall at Pune. The Convention was presided over by Comrade Ganesh Nallawade, Circle President of BSNLEU and was addressed by Comrades Purushotham Gedam, Circle President, BSNLEU, Datta Saheb Gaikwad, President, SC/ST Sanghatan, Sonawane and other comrades. Comrade B.P.Petkar, AGS, AIBDPA and Convener Maharashtra Circle welcomed all.
Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLEU and Advisor AIBDPA inaugurated the convention. In his speech he spoke about the major demands of the BSNL-DOT pensioners. In settling the Pension Revision of pre-2007 BSNL retirees, BSNLEU and AIBDPA had achieved a great victory. Now the main task is get it implemented without further delay wherever it has not been implemented. He also explained the Charter of Demands adopted at the recent Central Executive Committee of AIBDPA held at Kolkata.
The Maharashtra Circle union was formed unanimously electing office-bearers with Comrade B.P.Petkar as Circle Secretary.

The Fast by Anna Hazare at Ram Lila Maidan continues for the 7th day. Thousands of followers are sitting in the maidan. Some followers have sat on Satyagraha in front of the official residences of Ministers Kapil Sibal and Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister.
But no talks so far by the Government.

The Government has no money to increase the budget provision for primary education, subsidy to petroleum products like cooking gas resulting in rocketting prices of all essential commodities hitting the common people. But it seems, that there is sufficient money to gift to the corporates.
Rs. 5.1 lakh crore has indeed been granted as Tax Relief to the big 10 corporates in 2010 – 11. Total tax relief given to cororates from year 2006 is a whopping Rs.21.53 coroe.
Of course, corporates are more important to this government than the common people!

While the UPA government is on siege by the Anna Team and the thousands demonstrating in many centres in the country, Department of Disinvestment is going on with its work seriously – selling of its family silver. Disinvestment is seriously in the UPA II Agenda.
The next disinvestments are in Nalco, Sail and Hindustan Copper Ltd. 10% disinvestment is the plan.The
process is going to start by September 2010.
I hope that strong protest and struggle will be organised against stake sell.

All arrangements are being made for the successful conduct of the Dharna by the Casual and Contract workers in Delhi as per the call of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation on 26th August.
The accommodation for the outstation comrades are arranged in the Ambedkar Bhawan. For T.Nadu and Chattisgarh, this will be at Chug Dharmasala.
bout 1000 comrades are expected to attend the dharna. Let us make it a great success.

On 18th and 19th August I was in Kolkata to attend the Central Executive Committee meeting of the All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association, of which I am the Advisor. The meeting was held in KG Bose Smritee Bhawan, which is the office of the BSNL Employees Union, W.Bengal Circle. It is a four-storied building in the centre of the city in Adwaita Mullick Lane, Kolkata – 700 006, which was purchased by the union a few years back. There is a conference hall. The delegates stayed there. Circle Secretary, Comrade Animesh Mitra, stays there, far away from his Asansol home. The CEC members stayed there comfortably.
The side street leading to the union building is narrow and about 50 -60 metres. When I along with Comrade K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary and other comrades went there in the morning, I was surprised to see that the whole lane was just like a market. Vegetable or fish market? No. It was a market selling old clothes. At least some 20-25 women were sitting on both sides of the lane displaying old clothes for sale. Many people, men and women, were bargaining and purchasing these clothes. Our local comrades told that this is not the only lane selling old clothes. A lot of lanes nearby are also old-clothes-selling markets. The women go house-to-house and collect the old clothes and bring the same to this market to sell. Many people select and buy the good ones, while unusable clothes are purchased by business people who will use it for cleaning and other purposes by recycling.
In the evening when I was returning through the same lane along with Comrade Mihir Dasgupta, Joint Secretary of the Reception Committee, it has been transformed in to almost like a work area. Men were constructing the pandals for the Puja Festival, which is fast approaching. With bamboo pieces, they were making many designs for pandals, stages and so on. It was very interesting to see even children doing expert work with great speed. I was told by Dasgupta that almost the whole year, this kind of work with bamboo pieces will continue.
At this jucture, the memory of another market came to my mind. It is the leather market near the Telephone Exchange in Agra. It is very difficult to find such a market any where else. About half a kilometre on both sides of the roads are people sitting with their merchandise. What is the merchandise? Ready-made parts of chappals, shoes etc. Some sell the soles, some, the upper portion, some decorative part, some the heel, some the front portion etc. There is heavy rush. The local cobblers come here and buy whatever parts they want to make the shoes, chappals etc. It was very interesting to watch the business going on.
Yes, people are geniuses. They find new kind of work and busineses to eke out a living. They have to somehow look after their family. They may be getting only a few rupees for their work. But they are working and that itself is the most respectable thing. I salute them for their hard work and initiative.

The State Minister for Communications & IT, Sri Milind Deora has stated in the Parliament that BSNL, MTNL and ITI together has posted a loss of Rs. 4893 crore for 2009-10. While BSNL loss is Rs.1823 crore, MTNL loss is Rs. 2611 core and ITI loss Rs 459 crore. The position of 2010-2011 is yet to be known.