BSNL is again started competing with the private telcos in an effective manner. It has provided 24.18 wireless connections in October 2010. But that is less than Airtel, Vodafone and Uninor. The Telephone subscribers base in October 2010, connections given, market share etc. are published below as analysed by Com. Mihir Dasgupta.

BSNLEU /United Forum has started its campaign in right earnest. Hundreds of meetings are being held every day all over the country explaining the grand achievements made by BSNLEU in its six years of recognition. Whether it is the wage revision or the promotion policy, at no time  earlier such achievements have been made. Neither NFTE nor FNTO in their recognition over thirty years in P&T /DOT and two years of recognition in BSNL could not even demand a third promotion, leave alone four. Instead they agreed with the management that no promotion policy should be brought before 01-01-2007. Now they are shedding crocodile tears that five promotions have not been received.

But the workers fully understands their treachery and compromises with management  when they were in recognition. They will vote for BSNLEU and teach the NFTE a lesson they will never forget.

BSNLEU/United Forum posters on Membership Verification has been sent to all districts. CHQ is trying to release a Hindi version also. Many information connected with verification are being published in BSNLEU website. Utilise them for the propaganda. To day, a detailed note on the achievements of last 6 years have been published. Study them carefully, which will enable you to educate the workers and seek their vote for BSNLEU.

The Bofors scam has surfaced again. It was stated earlier by the Government that there has been no kick back. The CBI has also requested the court to close the case citing that there is no evidence to continue the case. But all of a sudden a bolt from the blue has struck the government. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal  (ITAT) in its order dated 31st December 2010 had stated : ” The investigations revealed that an amount of 242.62 million Swedish Kroners (Rs. 412.5 million) was paid by M/s AB Bofors. as Commission, to Mr. Quattrocchi and Chadha through M/s A.E.Serivces and M/s Svenska, in contravention of the policy of the government of India not to allow middlemen /agents in the deal”. All the arguments of the government that there was no kickback has fallen like a pack of cards. Now what?

Of course the government will continue their efforts to cover up the entire issue. But once again, skelton in the cup board is revealed to all.

There is every indication this time that BSNLEU will get the first position in Bihar, dislodging NFTE, which was number one last time (of course with the support of FNTO). It is not only that the FNTO has deserted the NFTE Alliance, but it is something more.

BSNLEU was not a big force in Bihar when the BSNLEU started. But gradually it has come very close to the First one, NFPTE. This time it is going to become the number one. The workers are happy for the good wage revision and Promotion Policy. This was made clear in the massive meeting held at Patna on 4th January 2010. The meeting was held in the premises of the CGM Office. About 500 comrades participated. Some comrades from other unions were also standing nearby to hear the speeches. Com.B.P.Singh, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU presided. Com. Swapan Chakraborty AGS and Com.Sunity Choudhary, All India Org. Secretary spoke in detail about the demands etc. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, inaugurating the convention called upon the workers to vote for BSNLEU / United Forum to save BSNL and its workers. He spoke in length on the various issues of workers including the good wage revision and Promotion Policy.

The house assured Com. Namboodiri that the land of Lok Nayak JP will be fully with United Forum. Com.Swapan Chakraborty, AGS, along with Circle Secretary will be touring most of the districts in Bihar on election campaign.

FNTO is in Trisanku. They are neither with BSNLEU nor with NFTE. In the second and third verifications, they were in United Forum and after BSNLEU won, they were given seats in the National Councils and also in Cirle / Local Councils wherever they were present. Issues were taken by the United Forum and satisfactory results were also there. But  FNTO leaders thought that though they are not the kings, they are the kingmakers. They were afraid that BSNLEU is becoming stronger and this has to be curbed. They thought that if they support, NFTE will win and joined them in the IV Membership Verification. But the NFTE-FNTO alliance lost by more than 28,000 votes.

When FNTO was in the United Forum, they got seats, status and participation in all discussions with the management. After deserting United Forum, everything was lost. As such, many in FNTO wanted to come back to United Forum, but it did not happen.

Now, continuing with the alliance of NFTE is a complete loss. Neither recognition nor seats nor votes. When in United Forum even though FNTO votes were counted with BSNLEU, they got councils seats etc. But in the alliance with NFTE they got neither seats nor votes. As such they decided to contest separately. It is not that they will win, but at least there will be their votes accounted in the name of FNTO. It seems that the INTUC leaders also advised the same.

So at last, FNTO is neither in the United Forum nor with NFTE. But many in the FNTO has expressed their desire for alliance in the United Forum. We do not know what will happen.

My  journey from New Delhi to Gorakhpur and then to Chhapra showed the poor performance of the railways. I started at 2000 hours on 2nd from New Delhi for Gorakhpur to attend the BSNLEU/UF convention. The train was scheduled to reach Gorakhpur by 1000 hours on 3rd January, but it reached there at 1430 hours, four hours late. Heavy fog was one reason. But it was not the only reason. The train was being stopped at all stations for a very long time, reason not known.

Since the meeting at Gorakhpur was to start at 1100 hours, from the railway station I was taken directly to the meeting. After welcome etc. I spoke for about one hour and had a press meet. I had to rush to the railway station by 1700 to catch the intercity express to Chhapra. We reached the station at 1700 hours, but the train was late by half an hour. And it reached at Chhapra at 2300 hours, late by one and half hours. Any way, our comrades were waiting in the chilly night to receive me.

How many people are suffering daily due to undue delay of the trains!

UP(E) Circle is determined to get majority and number one position in the circle in the coming verification. The massive meeting held at Gorakhpur on 3rd January 2011 has declared that BSNLEU/United Forum will reach 60% of votes in the ensuing verification. The meeting was addressed by V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU K.R.Yadav, Vice-President, R.K.Mishra, Circle Secretary and leaders of the United Forum. Detailed report will be placed later.

The Poster for the Membership Verification to be held on 1st February is ready and put on the BSNLEU website. The Circle Secretaries are requested to download the same, translate in to local languages, print and supply. The CHQ of course will be sending a few copies to district unions, but that may not be sufficient. Propaganda materials are also put on the website. Time is short; Let us proceed quickly so that we will be able to reach each and every worker.

In the latest book on the Congress History ” Congress and the making of the Indian Nation” the role of Sanjay Gandhi has been belittled in the 1980 elections in which Congress came back to power. And he has been rightly indicted in the Emergency excesses. But controversies are raised by many after the publication of the book. Anyway a discussion will arise on  the subject. The remark of the Supreme Court also has come in the middle.