Central Government with Shri Narendra Modi as Prime Minister is moving ahead to sell and hand over all the Central Public Sector Units like Air India, Airports, Railways, BSNL, LIC, Banks, Oil companies etc. to the corporate houses for nominal price. Even the large profitable PSUs are made loss making by creating hurdles in their functioning and development. Crony capitalism indeed.

On the other hand, the Kerala LDF government with Com.Pinarayi Vijayan as Chief Minister is making all the state PSUs profitable with good support from the government both on policy and development. It has offered the central government that it is prepared to take over the Central PSUs in the state, but the Modi government is bent upon handing over them to the Ambanis and Adanis.

Two governments, two approaches.

The Bharat Bandh and Hartal called by the farmers’ organisations and central trade unions on 27th September against the anti-worker and anti-kisan policies and actions of the Modi government are going to be the biggest agitation in the recent past. The entire country is preparing for the same. It is going to create history in the country. Congratulations in advance to all those comrades and friends who are marching ahead with the action programme.

Trade Union International(Pensioners & Retirees) an affiliate of the WFTU has given call to observe 1st October as International Elders’ Day, as is usually being observed. Many organizations of the pensioners as well as Senior Citizens also have given call. There is no doubt that the day will be observed befittingly.

“Five days that created History” the book written by V.A.N.Nambbodiri and P.V.Chandrasekharan about the 5 days glorious strike of the central government employees in July 1960 was released by Com.K.Chandran Pillai, National Secretary, CITU by handing over a copy to P.K.Muraleedharan, Convener, NFPE Kerala on an online meeting on 19th September 2021, the 53rd Anniversary of the 1968 strike. The book is in Malayalam. It is also proposed to prepare an English version of the book in due course.

The three days dharna at Jantar Mantar premises, New Delhi by the BSNL workers as per the call of the AUAB from 21st September 2021 is a great success with massive participation from Delhi and nearby circles.

The BSNL management and central government should take note of the serious dissatisfaction among the workers, the need for reviving the BSNL and should take necessary immediate action. Otherwise sustained struggles will have to be faced by them.

In connection with the publication of the book about the 1960 strike written jointly by Comrade P.V.Chandrasekharan and me, I was busy and discontinued posts in my blog. Now I am coming posting as usual. I am sure that our readers will excuse me for the lapse.

Com.V.A.N. Namboodiri’s book, “My Life and Struggles”, released in the Karnataka Circle Executive Committee meeting.

The Circle Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU, Karnataka circle, was held at Bengaluru on 22^nd & 23^rd March, 2021. An important event in this meeting, was the release of the book titled “My Life and Struggles”, written by Com.V.A.N. Namboodiri, former General Secretary, BSNLEU. The book was released by Com.Amanullah Khan, former President of the LIC Employees Union (AIIEA). Com.V.A.N. Namboodiri, addressed this meeting. He was felicitated by the Karnataka circle union. The CHQ of BSNLEU heartily congratulates Com.V.A.N. Namboodiri, for the release of his autobiography. (BSNLEU Website)

ICHR has gone beyond all limits. It has replaced the photo of Jawaharlal Nehru, leader of the Independence Struggle and first Prime Minister of India in the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav poster , with that of Savarkar, who apologized and assured full support to the British Government. This is unpardonable. The ICHR should reverse their decision and apologize to the nation.

Railways have withdrawn the concession granted to the senior citizens in train tickets wef February 2020 on rather flimsy grounds. It was completely an anti- senior citizens decision.

We demand that the concession be restored forthwith and do justice to them.