50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE GLORIOUS STRIKE OF SEPTEMBER 19, 1968 OBSERVED BEFITTINGLY.

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ALAPPUZHA- COM.K.G.JAYARAJ, GENERAL SECRETARY INAUGURATING.

September 19th, 1968 is an unforgettable Day for the central government employees. It was on this day that a massive one day strike was waged by the central government employees. The demands put forward were nothing new; need based minimum wage, Full nuetralisation of DA, Merger of DA with pay, Proportionate wages for ED employees (now GDS) etc. Strike was warranted due to the arrogant and unjustified stand of the central government. The Indira Gandhi government resorted to all sorts of repressive measures, including promulgating Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance, to frighten the employees and defeat the strike. Leaders including Coms. D.Gnanaiah, Secretary General, NFPTE and N.J.Iyer, General Secretary, R-3 and thousands of workers were arrested on 18th September itself. But these provocations were just adding fuel to the fire and in certain places the strike started on 18th September. Army and para military forces were deployed to crush the strike and 17 comrades, mostly from railways were made martyrs.

In P&T Department, the strike was total and all telecommunications and postal services were paralised. So the victimisation also was brutal and large. 1171 were summarily terminated, 3756 suspensions with 49 dismissals, 64,000 termination notices were served to the temporary employees, 3677 were arrested and more than 1 lakh faced various disciplinary proceedings and punishments. In Kerala the LDF government supported the strike and refused to use police, army or para military forces against the strike despite threat of dismissal by the central government. Therefore the central government through the buerocracy resorted to large scale victimisation. But the organisation faced these challenges with more vigour and determination by sustained struggle and massive and unparallel relief activities with the support of other organisations and the people. The immense help we got from some of the MPs like Com.A.K.Gopalan is worth mentioning. Finally we could overcome these onslaughts by the government within a reasonable period and government was compelled to appoint the 3rd Pay Commission.

This time it is the golden jubilee of the glorious struggle and being observed all over the country befittingly. When we proudly commemorate the sacrifices of the brave hearts, let us reaffirm to resolve to fight against all sorts of onslaughts of government which is pursuing the anti-people neo liberal policies and divisive tactics.

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