Press Release.                                                                                              August 7, 2020

All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association has called upon all its units in the country to hold Standing Dharna at BSNL Offices, Telephone Exchanges, Customer Service Centres etc., on 19-08-2020.

The only one demand put forward is Immediate Payment of Medical Bills and Medical Allowance to the BSNL pensioners. BSNL management has virtually denied medical treatment to the BSNL pensioners by not reimbursing the medical bills and paying medical allowance for the last 18 months. BSNL pensioners, especially, suffering from Cancer, Heart and Kidney ailments, are put into utter distress as they are unable to purchase the medicines from the meager pension.

The Association has tried its level best to settle the issue peacefully through negotiation with the BSNL management several times; we also took up the issue with the Hon’ble Minister for Communications and finally with the Hon’ble Prime Minister twice, but of no avail.

Meanwhile during this COVID-19 pandemic period, BSNL management had no hesitation to curtail the outdoor medical facilities in the name of austerity measures. But at the same time the top officers of BSNL are free to indulge in largesse.

BSNL management always takes the shelter of poor financial condition to deny the medical claims of the BSNL pensioners. But the same BSNL management has paid the medical claims upto September, 2019 of serving employees recently, neglecting the most deserving retirees. This discrimination of the BSNL management has created much anger and discontentment among the BSNL pensioners.

AIBDPA is quite aware of the serious situation prevailing in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic spreading alarmingly.  The Prime Minister often makes statements about the care to be extended to the senior citizens but seldom wants it to be implemented. The Supreme Court in a judgement on 4th August, 2020 also has directed the governments to extend extra care to the senior citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring timely payment of pension and medical treatment.

But in sharp contrast, the BSNL management and the Central Government are hand in glove to deny the medical benefits of BSNL pensioners. So BSNL pensioners are compelled to take the risk of coming out openly to the street and participate in the Standing Dharna, knowing fully that elders are more vulnerable to the dreaded Corona Virus. However, we will take care to conduct the Dharna, fully adhering the COVID-19 protocol by limiting the participation to 5 to 10 in each centre, keeping social distance and wearing masks.

K G Jayaraj

General Secretary