COM.S.S.SEN, VETERAN P and T LEADER IS NO MORE.
HE PASSED IN BANGALORE ON 27-10-2018 AT 03-30PM . HE WAS 86.
COM.S.S.SEN LONG LIVE.

A Tribute to the veteran leader Com.S.S.Sen, who passed away. He was one of the comrades who were arrested and jailed during Emergency of 1975. Go through the following write up:

“That was the 6th day of November , 1975. Dark days of emergency imposed by Mrs. Indira Gandhi were looming large over democratic movements of our country. One Police Inspector keeping his force outside entered into the then Sub Record Office at Guwahati under RMS “GH” Division and took the chair in front of a young man working there and asked curisoulsy “Are you Mr.—–? with militant posture and uncompromising determination, the man just crossed his fourty, instantly replied “Yes, I am Mr.Sudhendu Sekhar Sen whom you are searching for”.

The Inspector with his regretful expression contended Com.S.S.Sen (popularly known as Sudha Sen) that it was the order from the high echelons of power that was was bound to carry out and for that reason he should not be misunderstood. After completion of all formalities including permission from the Senior Superintendent, Com.S.S.Sen was arrested and taken away to the Guwahati Central Jail.

In the Central Jail were the galaxy of leaders of the P&T Trade Union movement already taken into cusotdy; Com. Bimal Kanti Gupta,CS of E-IV, Com. Jagadindra Bhattachajee, CS, E-IV, Com. Bhudan Chandra Das, CS, P-IV., Com. Hareswar Sharma, CS, P-III, Com.Sankar Kumar Das, CS, E-III, Com. Bhrigu Ram Lahkar, Asstt. CS, P-III and Com.Prabin Chandra Boro, Secretary, P&T LCC, Guwahati.

There in the Central Jail and elsewhere in Assam they had to wait for 15 to 19 months to get released from jail until the emergency was lifted. After the release from the jail also they were not spared. All of them were transferred to the remotest hilly corners of the North Eastern Region, only to be brought back when the Janatha Government came in to power in 1977.

Perhaps this is the unmatched chapter of the history of the trade union movement in the central government employees’ front where as many as 8 (eight) top leaders were put into jail with an intention to crush the democratic trade union movement. Needless to say that second union (FNPTO) in the P&T was formed with the government’s patronage to sabotage the historic 1968 central government employees’ strike.

Government tried to form the union in the NE Region also but could not get in road even after putting the entire top leadership behind the bars.

Rock like unity of the workers at the ground level remained intact throughout the emergency regime and all the jailed leaders were re-elected to their respective positions in the union hierarchy as when the conferences were due and held amidst prevailing situation. These leaders were also amongst the galaxy of leaders of Central including Railways, State, Insurance and Banking sectors who were instrumental in formation of the JOINT COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS, ASSAM in 1973 through a massive convention of workers in Guwahati inaugurated by Com.K.G.Bose and also attended by George Fernadaz, Com. Jagadindra Bhattarcharjee along with Achyut Deka of LIC took the mantle of this joint forum as first Joint Conveners. Later on the JCTU, Assam withstood the test of time and created may histories in the trade union movement in Assam.That legacy has still been continued.

In the early 1990’s also Regional Coordination Committee of P&T employees Unions (NFPE), North East Region with Com.S.S.Sen as Convener again made the history by organizing the longest ever successfull strike of the white colour employees in the history of India demanding Special Duty Allowance (SDA). The strike started on November 15, 1991 under the leadership of RCC of P&T Employees Unions, NE Region to end the discrimination by implementing Court Judgement. The entire RCC leadershp including Co.S.S.Sen, Com.J.Bhattacharjee, Com.R.P.Sharma, \Com. Sasadhar Deb, Com.B.C.Das, Com.S.K.Das, Com.M.R.Das, Com.J.N.Mishraexhibited the exemplary leadership quality to continue the strike with tactical perfectness and extreme patience. No door of any Post Office and RMS office was opened for long 38 days upto 22nd December, 1991 until an agreement was signed between NFPE and the Department of Posts in the presence of Minister of Communications . Subsequently the discrimination was ended and SDA was granted to all the CG Employees of NE Region irrespective of transfer liabilities”.

RED SALUTE TO COM.S.S.SEN

WE VOW TO CARRY FORWARD THIS LEGACY …

(Courtesy: Confederation website)