The Glorious 5 Days Strike of 1960

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

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The 5 days strike by the Central Government Employees started from 11th July 1960 will always inspire not only the CG Employees, but the entire working class in India. It was the biggest strike that Indian government had to face since Independence in 1947.

The strike called by the All India Railwaymen Federation (AIRF), All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF) and Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers demanded the government to modify the retrograde recommendations of the II Central Pay Commission, grant of Minimum Wage, Full neutralisation for cost of living etc.

The Government dealt the strike with iron hands. The government declined to meet the leaders of the Joint Action Committee. Instead it promulgated the Essential Service maintenance Ordinance against the strike with stringent punishment. Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru termed the strike as ‘Civil Rebellion’ and issued instructions to suppress it with all the might of the central and state governments. Thousands of workers were jailed (outsiders also for supporting the strike), dismissed, terminated, suspended, charge sheeted, severely punished and transferred. The All India leaders were arrested and paraded hand-cuffed through the streets of Delhi. The government dealt with the strikers as enemies of the country. The strike could not go on more than 5 days. It was mercilessly suppressed by the government.

It took more than 4 years to get all the officials got reinstated. Even that was only after the Members of Parliament like Coms. A.K.Gopalan, Nath Pai, S.M.Banerjee and others lambasted the government in the Parliament about the inhuman treatment of the strikers by the government.

I was working at Cannanore (Kannur) at that time. Three comrade were put in jail, punished for 6 months rigorous imprisonment. I was kept out of service, charge sheeted and punished. The working class realised  the inhuman face of the Congress government. Though suppressed with in a decade the government was compelled to accept at least some of the demands.

BY once again going on a one day strike on 19th September 1968, the workers showed that they will continue to fight for their rights.

The Mughal era of more than 3 centuries

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

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According to certain records, it is stated that Babur entered Agra after the victory in historic battle of Panipat on 10th July in 1526, which started the three centuries Mughal Rule in India. Babar, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shajahan and  Aurangazeb ruled as  emperors one after another, but the empire declined later and had control in a small part near Delhi onlyr. Even that was over after the defeat of the First War of Independence in 1858, when the last Mughal Emperor and poet Mohammed Shah Zafar was caught from  hiding in the Humayun Tomb and extradited to Rangoon where he died afterwards.

The Mughal Empire ended and British Empire started which lasted  for about two centuries till India won freedom  on 15th August 1947. For the first time, the foreign empires were over and the Indian people could decide their own government.

 

 

National Convention by Central Trade Unions

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

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The 11 Central Trade Unions have decided to hold a National Convention of Workers at Mavlankar Hall, New Delhi, on 6th August 2013 as part of its agitational programme on the 10 points demands already raised earlier and on which 48 hours strike was organised on 20-21 February this year. Though the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has stated that the demands are ‘unexceptionable’, no action to settle the demands has been taken by the government. Unless the government is given a big jolt, it will not accept any demands of the workers, while it has no difficulty in favouring the MNCs and corporates with all their demands. Of course, it is becoming the ‘Government of the corporates’ instead of a government of the people.

 

Sepoy Mutiny started at Meerut on this day in 1857

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

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10th July 1857 was the day on which the Sepoy Mutiny started in Meerut, which actually was the First War of Independence led by the Indian Sepoys and the many small rulers in the country.

Despite initial success against the British rulers, the revolt was crushed by the British through their better disciplined army and sophisticated equipment.

But the mighty fight and the sacrifices of the sepoys and fighters like Jhansi Rani, Tantiatopi who sacrificed their lives at the warfront will ever be remembered by the people of this country.

PM strongly back 100% FDI in Telecom

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

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This is not surprising. The Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has strongly backed the proposed increase of 100% FDI in Telecom. In fact, it is his own child. The government is trying to sell the family silver in a massive way to favour the MNCs and get some money, which is not worth even 25% of the assets.

It is also reported that he is favouring the increase of FDI from 26% to 49% which has been strongly opposed by the Defence minister A.K.Antony who termed the proposal as retrograde.

Only a very strong and committed movement can save the country from this government, who is only the manager, from selling the assets of the country whose real owners are the people of this country.  At this time people have started recollecting the entry of East India Company in India, which heralded the British rule for two centuries. History repeats, but in new form and new ways. Unless one learns lessons from history and reacts, the future will be in peril.

Programmes of Action by Central TUs

09 Tuesday Jul 2013

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 The Joint meeting of Central Trade Unions held on 8th July 2013 at BMS office, New Delhi has decided the following course of joint mobilization/agitations and activities

National Convention of Trade     Unions on 6th August 2013 at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi

  1. State     level and district level rallies/agitations/demonstrations/jail bharo etc     during last week of September 2013
  2. March/demonstration     before Parliament in the month of December during Parliament session.
  3. In     various sectors like Coal, Telecom, Banks & Insurance, Transport,     Power, Port & Dock etc, joint struggles/strikes are being     planned/undertaken by the respective federations. All support should be     extended to those struggles. Central Trade Unions should also jointly endeavour     to develop sectoral struggles in various sectors.
  4. Dates and details of programmes in September and December will be finalized through joint consultation of Central Trade Unions and announced from the National Convention.

You are requested to please ensure participation of your organization in the National Convention of Trade Unions to be held on 6th August 2013 at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi as on all previous occasions.

BSNLEU demands Recruitment of Staff

09 Tuesday Jul 2013

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The Central Executive Committee meeting of BSNL Employees Union has demanded recruitment of required staff in BSNL. Since formation of BSNL, during the last 12 years, about 1,30,000 employees have retired. If you count about the 30,000 new recruitment in certain limited cadres, then the reduction of staff comes to 1,00,000. Most of the retired belong to the lowest non-executive staff.

There is acute shortage of staff and the work is suffering due to the same. The management not only are against recruitment, but is also trying to retrench the staff through VRS. Yes this is a method of destabilising the company and making if in-efficient.

Hence the decision of BSNLEU is correct and the same should be strongly persued.

 

 

Jyoti Basu Birth Centenary Celebration started

09 Tuesday Jul 2013

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 Jyoti Basu’s birth Centenary   celebrations started in Kolkata on 8th July through a hugely attended programme at Mahajati Sadan in Kolkata. CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, CPI(M) Politbureau Member Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Left Front Chairman Biman Basu spoke in the programme at Mahajati Sadan attended by who’s who in the field of arts’, science and commerce.   CITU also organized programmes  in the state commemorating the birth centenary of the  mercurial  CITU leader , CPI(M) State Secretary Biman Basu  who presided over  the programme which started after garlanding on Jyoti Basu’s huge portrait on the stage. Leader of all Left Constituents including veteran  Forward Block leader Ashok Ghosh was present in the programme

Drop Decision to sell NLC shares – Left parties.

06 Saturday Jul 2013

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Left parties today demanded that the Centre withdraw its decision to sell five per cent stakes of the public sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation to private players.

“We insist that the Centre withdraw its decision to sell five per cent stakes of Neyveli Lignite Corporation to private sector”, the Left Parties stated.

Red Salute to Com. C.H.Asokan

06 Saturday Jul 2013

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Com. C.H.Asokan, former State Secretary of the Kerala NGO Union and Secretary of All India State Government Employees Federation passed away yesterday in a Trivandrum Hospital. He was 61. He was functioning as the CPI(M) Area secretary, Onchiyam after retirement from service. For the last many months he was not allowed to go home after he was made an accused in a murder case by the Kerala Police and jailed and harassed.

He was a very good organiser, speaker and agitator and strengthened the NGO union in Kerala. While both of us were in Calicut, we had close contact as the leaders of P&T Union and Kerala NGO Union. The last time I met him was a few weeks back while attending the Keluettan Birth Day anniversary at Calicut. He told that he is staying in Party office, since he was not allowed to go to his home at Onchiyam by the police. Now his body will go home with honour and respect.

My heartfelt condolences on the sad and untimely death of Com. Asokan. Red Salute to Com. C.H.Asokan, the fighter for the workers and the common people.