There is no bigger crime than harassing the children and aged persons. Modi government is exactly doing this – harassing the BSNL – DOT pensioners, who have tirelessly served the nation and the people for about four decades. In their old age, they expected help and assistance or at least justice from the government. But the government is sleeping over the issue.

Pension Revision @ 15 % is due from 01.01.2017 as per recommendations of III Pay Revision Committee. The last Pension Revision was done with 30% fitment as recommended by II PRC. The hollow argument of the govt that since BSNL employees have not been granted wage revision due from 01.01.2017 due to loss of BSNL, has nothing to do with pension as the same is being paid by the government, for which sufficient and more funds are already available with the government through pension contribution collected.

The non- implementation of pension revision has neither logic, reason nor any justification. It is only harassment of the pensioners, reducing their capacity to live as before. This delay / refusal is against the spirit of the 1982 Supreme Court Judgment in ‘ Nakara case

‘.Thousands of pensioners, who were eligible for pension revision wef 01.01.2017 have passed away without getting their due benefits. Family pension is also reduced to that extent. Modi govt which has liberally reduced the tax burden of the corporates coming to lakhs of crores of rupees wants to rob the poor pensioners. This is unforgivable. Even the massive Parliament Marchs / Jantar Mantar Dharnas organised by AIBDPA, Joint Forum etc participated by thousands of pensioners from all parts of the country seem to have been ignored by Govt.

The governments’ another excuse about a pending court case filed by some associations for not ordering pension revision is despicable. Of course, if these associations have not gone to the court with a weak argument and joined with the mainstream of BSNL – MTNL Pensioners Associations and joined in the agitations, there was a chance for more compulsion on government for an early settlement.

We, AIBDPA and other Pensioners organisations of BSNL and MTNL, demand that Pension Revision from 01.01.2017 with 15% fitment be paid without any further delay, failing which the govt will have to face a tempest of agitations.

V A N Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA.