The casual and contract labours in BSNL were being exploited for years together by the corrupt officers and contractors by not paying their due wages and not implementing the social security measures as provided in the law of the land etc. After the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation (BSNLC&CWF) has been formed, some improvements have taken place. But still, in most parts of the country, the exploitation continues more or less.

The BSNL Management, which stated earlier that there is no contract labour in BSNL, had to agree the existence of thousands of contract labour in BSNL. Now the Parliament Standing Committee on Labour has intervened in the matter after my petition to the committee as the President of the BSNLC&CWF, they have issued orders to implement payment of minimum wages, social security measures etc. Unhappy and angry at the developments, the local managements and contractors in conspiracy have started retrenching the contract workers. Strikes and other forms of struggles are taking place in many places against the retrenchment.

In Bongaigaon (Assam), 6 contract workers, who are leaders of the strike has been arrested and kept in custody alleging cutting of the cable, as per reports received by me. False cases are charged against them to weaken the strike and struggle. This has to be exposed and defeated. Wherever victimisation takes places, the struggle should be strengthened with the support of BSNLEU and other trade unions. The workers can not surrender their rights and priveleges under threat.

I request BSNLEU leaders at all levels to support and give solidarity to the struggle of the casual and contract workers.

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, confessed in the Parliament today, 7th March 2011, that the appointment of P.J.Thomas as Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) was a ‘error of judgement’. Yesterday at J&K, he had stated that he takes full responsibility for the appointment.

The Supreme Court has indicted the government on the appointment of PJ Thomas, against whom a case is pending, to the post of CVC. Out of the three member committee to finalise the selection of CVC, the opposition leader Smt. Sushama Swaraj had opposed the proposal. It was a majority decision of the PM and Minister Chidambaram ignoring the opposition of opposition leader.When opposition had already been raised to the proposal, where is the question of ‘error of judgement’? Anybody can see that it was a deliberate decision with a motive. The motive is also well-known.

Since the statement was not satisfactory, the Left parties walked out from the Parliament.