The Central Executive Committee of All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) held at Kolkatta on 18-19 August 2011 has adopted a Charter of Demands of the Pensioners and has decided to organise protest demonstrations / dharna on 19th September country-wide. The details of the decisions of the CEC will be put on the website of the AIBDPA.

The government had to bend before the strong stand of Anna Hazare. Now he has been allowed to continue his hunger strike in Ramlila Grounds with many conditions waived.
The government’s move to deny the democratic right of the people to protest peacefully has been defeated by the people through their strong and massive protest actions through out the country.
Greetings to the people who compelled the government to back from the anti-democratic and arrogant decisions.

At last the aspiration of the people pf West Bengal for an original name has been fulfilled. The state Government has decided with the full support of the opposition parties to rename W.Bengal in to Paschim Banga. The decision was announced today by the Government.
The name of W.Bengal had its own problems. W.Bengal was always in the last in the alphabetical order and last in the queue. Further just like the change of Madras in to Chennai, Bombay in to Mumbai and Calcutta in to Kolkatta, the people of W.bengal wanted a change in the name. The Left Government has initiated for the change of name and now the aspiration has been fulfilled.
Congratulations to people of Paschim Banga!

The senior citizens of the country are mostly neglected. The new single family system and the employment of youngsters away from home have made the senior citizens alone and uncared for in many instances. The worst sufferers are those in the villages and agricultural workers. They have even to work at the age of 70-80s since there is no pension for them except in few states like Kerala. There is no system for their health care. They toil their entire life and end up while toiling and uncared for. The Government is not at all caring for them.
What about he lower middle class, mainly those employed in government as also private establishments. For the government employees, pension is there. But for those who have been recruited after 01-01-2004, whether in state or central government, the pension is not the defined pension as earlier, but is Provident Fund based. The new PFRDA Bill presented in the Parliament against the strong opposition of the entire working class in the country is the road-map to reduce and finish the pension itself. Pension is treated as a waste of money by the present government.
In the case of the middle class again, the major problem is that after their sons/daughters get job, they are mostly separated since the job will be in some other cities or even in other countries. The family connections are broken. The senior citizens in the cities are a big target for the thieves, goondas etc. who can rob them easily of their life’s earnings and if resisting, kill them also. Just go through the dailies of metros like Delhi you can read robbery and murder of senior citizens almost every day, even including retired army officers.
There is no safety to the senior citizens. They are easy targets for all. The government which has to safeguard their health and well being is completely missing in the scene.
Many of the senior ministers in the Central government are senior citizens themselves. They also do not care for other senior citizens, since they may not be facing the difficulties of the ordinary old persons. But the government can not be allowed to go scot-free. A strong movement has to be started in the whole country that the senior citizens are given due considerations and are cared for.

The Convention held at Kolkata on 18th August in connection with the meeting of the Executive Committee of the All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) was a good success. More than 500 pensioners participated in the same held in the CTO hall. All India President Com. Ananta Kr. Bhattacharjee presided. Com. Sukomal Sen inaugurated. Comrades V.A.N.Namboodiri, K.G.Jayaraj, General secretary AIBDPA and other leaders addressed. The meeting was organised by the Kolkata comrades led by Comrades Animesh Mitra, Saibal Sen Gupta, Mihir Dasgupta, Supriyo Mitra and others.
The Executive Committee will continue tomorrow, 19th August.

Country wide demonstrations, rallies, candle light rallies etc. were held all over the country protesting against the undemocratic and arrogant attitude of the Central Government in arresting and denying democratic right to protest to Anna Hazare and team. Common people are fed up with corruption at all levels and they gave big support to the cause raised by Anna.
The Left parties organised big rallies in all important centres.
Anna has refused to be released from jail unless his demands of conducting hunger strike without any conditions from the police or government is met.
The ball is in the court of the UPA Government. It is the responsibility of the government to sort out the issues and take correct decision.

In a historic order, the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner, Raipur (Chhattisgarh) has ordered on 29th July, 2011 directing CGM, BSNL, Chhattisgarh to remit Rs.2,79,19,404 towards Employees Provident Fund arrears of Contract Workers engaged from 2004 onwards.

The case was filed in 2004 and total 89 hearings were held. Except on 12 hearings the employer (BSNL Management) had attended. The order specifically mentioned that the BSNL establishment did not Co-operate with the Enforcement Officer during his visit to the establishment and has not shown any records for inspection. The establishment has been directed to submit various statutory returns immediately after remittances of the assessed dues.

This is a historical judgement and a complete indictment of the anti-contract worker position taken by the BSNL management.

The undemocratic and arrogant action of the Government in arresting Anna Hazare yesterday has made the people angry. Through out the country, demonstrations and rallies are being held. In the Parliament, the statement of Prime Minister has been questioned and ridiculed. The attack on the democratic right of the people to protest is a sign of the government to protect itself from the exposure of corruption one after another.
Anna’s insistence for the right to protest for condition of leaving the jail is a correct decision. The government will be compelled to bow before the mighty protest of the people.

The government is continuously repeating that it is taking necessary action against corruption, black money, tax- evasion etc. It was stated last year that there are more than Rs. 2.48 lakh crore tax arrears as on 31st March 2010 to be collected from the corporate houses. This was Rs. 1.60 lakh crore in March 2008, which has increased to Rs. 2.03 lakh crore in 2011.
Why the Government is not collecting the same? Why no criminal action is not taken against these law-breakers. At least why the names of these high level tax evaders are not published so that the people can know who is who?
To expect that from this government will be too much. But we can not sit idle. The government should be pressurised to disclose the name of the high tax evaders and take action against them.

The Central Executive Committee meeting of the All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association will be held at Kolkata on 18th to 19th August 2011. The AIBDPA within the two years of its formation has grown in to a strong organisation and with the support of BSNLEU and Joint Action Committee of BSNL has been able to settle many important issues of the pensioners including the Pension Revision of pre-2007 BSNL retirees, which was considered as impossible by many. There are many issues still to be settled, about which the meeting will discuss.
The Committee will also discuss about the continued attacks on the rights and demands of the pensioners by the government including the PFRDA Bill presented in the Parliament. On these issues not only the Pensioners Associations, but the organisations of the Central and State Governments like Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers as also All India State Government Employees Federation are on the struggle path.
Let each and every worker / pensioner join together to fight and defeat the anti-worker PFRDA Bill.