NATIONAL COORDINATION COMMITTEE OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS

A clarion call is given by NCCPA to hold demonstration against the sinister move of the Central Government to surreptitiously pass despite opposition in parliament on 25.03.2025. The call is for demonstration on 3.4.2025 in front of CG Offices in all Districts by the Affiliates of NCCPA. The call is as follows:

NATIONAL COORDINATION COMMITTEE OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONSNo. NCCPA / Protest Dated 27th March 2025

NCCPA calls to protest against the sinister move of the Government to deny the Pensioners their genuine rights!

The Government had passed a bill along with the Finance Bill 2025 on 25.03.2025 to declare any Pensioner retired in the past as a separate entity and the right of the Government to declare that the past pensioners cannot claim any benefits allowed to Pensioners retiring afresh from the Government service.In short, the move of the Government is against the spirit of the landmark judgment of Supreme Court that the Government cannot divide the Pensioners of same class to artificial cut-off dates which is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. The Government is trying to establish that the Pensioners of same class can be divided by different cut-off dates and no Pensioner can claim the benefit extended to new Pensioners. This amendment will deny any benefit to the past pensioners to treat them with the future pensioners. The move of the Government to not to move the bill to bring separately but as part of the Finance Bill 2025 surreptitiously and passing the bill on 25-03-2025 despite the opposition from the Opposition is condemnable.

NCCPA calls upon all affiliates and the Pensioners Community to stand firm on the face of this new onslaught by the Union Government and protest vehemently. NCCPA calls all its affiliates to demonstrate before any Central Government Office of all Districts and voice our clear opposition to the move of the Government. The Peasants’ struggle is an example and if all Pensioners can unite and demonstrate at Delhi the passed bill can be made withdrawn.

As a first step, we the NCCPA can hold protest demonstrations before Central Government Office in all Districts on 3.4.2025 and send the reports with photos to the headquarters of NCCPA. NCCPA will discuss with the Affiliates and take a view on this important issue and act.

Yours faithfully,Sd/- (K.Ragavendran) Secretary General NCCPA

Com. K G Jayaraj, General Secretary inaugurated the meeting held at Telephone Exchange, Ranchi on 23-03-2025. General Secretary highlighted the functioning of AIBDPA and the struggles being held and the glaring achievements. He also replied to the queries raised by some of the participants. Com. Animesh Mitra, President, BSNLEU & Secretary General, BSNL CCWF delivered the keynote address and stressed the need to have the AIBDPA branch everywhere in the country. Com. Bijoy Paswan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU who along with Com.Binod Kumar, Circle President organised the meeting, presided.

Circle Branch was formed with the unanimous election of 25 member office bearers with Com. Omkarnath Prasad ( President ) Com. Binod Kumar ( Circle Secretary ) and Com. Haregan Rai ( Treasurer ).

The 6th Bi-ennial Circle Conference of AIBDPA West Bengal Circle was held from 21st to 23rd March 2025, in Shantipur, Nadia District. 200 delegates elected from various districts attended the Conference. The Conference activities began on March 21 with a Seminar on contemporary issues where the main speaker was Comrade Anadi Sahu, the Secretary of CITU, West Bengal. He appealed to implement the General Strike on May 20, 2025, called by all Central Trade Unions except BMS, against the Central Govt’s pro-Corporate policy. The other speaker was Com Animesh Mitra, the President of the BSNLEU, CHQ, as well as Secretary General of BSNLCCWF. He explained the current situation in BSNL, highlighting the negative role of the authorities regarding Pension and Wage revisions. Com S M Sadi, the Chairman of Reception Committee also delivered his speech in the seminar and explained the negative, undemocratic role of the State and Central Government.

The main Conference was started at 10AM on March 22, after a colorful Procession around the city, followed by flag hoisting and floral tributes at the martyr’s memorial and the portraits of  Comrades K G Bose, Moni Bose and Shibdas Banerjee. . The 6th Bi-ennial Circle Conference was inaugurated by Com K G Jayaraj, the General Secretary of AIBDPA, CHQ, who in his extensive speech mentioned the Central Govt’s lack of cooperation and onslaught role on Pension Revision. He also highlighted that some Pensioners’ Organization’s by filling a court case had muddled the issue, allowing the Government to take full advantage saying it sub-judice. He spoke about the multiple large scale movements held over the last two years for Pensioners’ demands and stressed that such continuous struggles would continue in the future. He firmly stated that through the struggle the Pension Revision will be achieved. On this occasion speeches were made by AIBDPA CHQ leaders, Comrades Sanjeeb Banerjee,AGS and Comrade Sushanta Ghosh, Vice President. Com. Tapas Ghosh, the Circle Secretary, BSNLCMU also spoke . The Circle Secretary of BSNLEU West Bengal Circle, Com Sujoy Sarkar spoke on the occasion. Comrade Sarkar mentioned that along with the Circle Secretary of AIBDPA, he actively engages with BSNL management to address various issues, including pending medical bills for pensioners’ and other BSNL related concerns.

Just before the Conference began, the Circle Secretary Com Asis Das fell ill and was hospitalized causing some problem in smooth Conference works. However, the Executive Committee quickly decided to assign the responsibilities for managing the Conference activities to the two Assistant Secretaries , Coms Subrata Misra and Biplab Das, in the absence of Circle Secretary. The Presidium consisting of the President Com Omprakash Singh and other Vice Presidents , Coms Gobinda Das, R K Yadav, Anupam Saha,  Tapan Kumar Bhowmick and B R Ghosh effectively managed the Subject Committee . The Condolence resolutions was read out by Com Biplab Das. The Annual report was placed by Com Subrata Misra and Audited Statement of accounts was placed by the treasurer Com Debashis Khan . The delegates in their speeches, firmly stated their commitment to participating in future movements as before. They praised the functions of AIBDPA both nationally and at the state level. They also confirmed that the Pensioners would be involved in May 20 Nationwide Strike and related activities. The extraordinary Cultural programmes, Drama and mass songs over the two days won everyone’s heart.

Finally office bearers were elected unanimously with Com.Sushanta Ghosh (Patron) Com Omprakash Singh (President) Com.Asis Das (Circle Secretary)
Com.Debashis Khan (Treasurer).
Vote of thanks was  given by Com Subrata Misra,ACS.

The Reception Committee made excellent arrangements which earned praises from all.

The National Convention of Workers on 18th March 2025 organised by the platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations and Associations adopted a Declaration with a call for two-month long campaign to culminate in a Nationwide General Strike on 20th May 2025.

The participants included the leaders and activists from the unions of the PSU and Govt Sectors such as those from Banks, Insurance, Coal, Steel, Port and Dock, Electricity, Telecom, Postal, Railways, Defence, Roadways, Education, Health, Water, Civil services etc and private formal sector including the contract workers of those sectors, those from the informal/unorganised sectors- industrial as well as contract, outsourced workers and self-employed in piece rate work, domestic workers, gig and app based workers, scheme workers-from Anganwadi, ASHA and Mid-day Meal schemes, beedi and construction sector, loaders-unloaders etc.

Voices rose in unison, in a chorus of condemnation against the central government that deliberately maintains more than a decade long deaf ear to the consistent demands of the Trade Unions on the one side and their collective rejection of its policies on the other. 

The leaders who addressed the convention endorsed the Declaration. Among those who addressed included Ashok Singh from INTUC, Amarjeet Kaur from AITUC, Harbhajan Singh from HMS, Tapan Sen from CITU, Harish Tyagi from AIUTUC, K Indu Prakash Menon from TUCC, Lata Ben from SEWA, Rajiv Dimri from AICCTU, Jawahar Prasad from LPF, and Ashok Ghosh from UTUC.

Unified and determined voice of “enough is enough”, sending a resounding “NO” to the government’s anti-people policies, the convention gave out a clarion call for one day’s national strike on 20th May 2025. 

The convention sent out a scathing attack on the brazenly pro corporate policies in favour of the crony capitalists, creation of monopoly and duopoly capitalists that are detrimental to the working people and overall economic well-being of the country.  In an unequivocal tone and unwavering conviction, the convention sent out a firm message that the central government cannot continue unrelenting to the united voice in a war cry of the working masses. The convention emphasised that the working people of India, the real wealth makers shall not allow the loot of their creation by the crony capitalists. 

The convention showcased the trade unions as a united force to reckon with. The working people shall prepare to take on the challenge of this government. May 20th shall be the launching pad towards series of nationwide decisive struggles of workers and peasants in the future. The convention ended with an invigorated energy to resist exploitation, deepening income inequality, denial of constitutional rights and overall injustice meted out on the people of India. 

The convention unanimously adopted a declaration that indicts the NDA government for inflicting the downward spiral of miseries on the working people, for the pro corporate and anti-worker policies that have resulted in a perfect storm of joblessness, poverty and inequality.

The declaration of National Convention of workers besides reiterating its uncompromising demand to scrap the labour codes, reaffirming its 17-point charter of demands also lays down the alternative to the disastrous policies of neo liberalism. 

The convention sent an unmitigated voice of unity that would thwart all the ugliest attempts of the NDA government to divide workers in terms of religion, region, caste, culture, language etc.

Battle lines are drawn, drums of protests are beating, war cry of the working people of India shall be demonstrated in fullest throttle on 20th May 2025.

The Convention was presided by O.S Tomar from INTUC, Mohan Sharma from AITUC, Member of presidium is J R Bhosle from HMS, K Hemlata from CITU, Vijay Pal Singh from AIUTUC, G Shivshankar from TUCC, Asha Ben from SEWA, Santosh Roy from AICCTU, R.K Maurya from LPF, Shatrujit Singh from UTUC. 

The bimonthly journal of Tamil Nadu Circle, “Oyvudiyar Muzhakkam” (Pensioners Slogan) was released on 18-03-2025 at Chennai in an enthusiastic and festive atmosphere. The first copy was released by Com.C K Narasimhan, Circle Advisor by handing over the journal to Com.S Chellappa, AGS, BSNLEU. Com. Jnanasekaran, Circle President presided. Com.Berlin Kanagaraj, ACS welcomed one and all. Com.R Rajasekar , Circle Secretary delivered the introductory speech and read out the messages of Coms.V A N Namboodiri, Advisor and K G Jayaraj, General Secretary. Coms. K Govindaraj, AGS, V Venkitaraman, CHQ Organising Secretary, Panjakshram, Circle Secretary, Chennai Telephones, M Sridhar Subramonian, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Chennai. P Manickamurthy, Ex Circle Vice President, V Ramakrishnan, M Meghanathan, K Srinivasan, ACS,BSNLEU and P Murugan,I M Mathialagan, K George, Vijayakumar (All District Secretaries greeted.

Subscription from many comrades were received during the function. With vote of thanks by Com. P Saravanan, Assistant Treasurer the function came to an end.

The 6th District Conference of Hassan,Karnataka was held on 18-03-2025 under the presidentship of Com. S A Ramachandra, District President. The conference was addressed by Coms.Muddiah,Circle Secretary, H C Prakash, AGS, Earanna, CHQ Organising Secretary and L D Durgad, Circle President. All the leaders explained the issues including pension revision, medical issues and the struggles conducted. The growth of AIBDPA as the largest pensioners organisation of BSNL DOT retirees was highlighted. Earlir, Com,S Nagaraj, District Secretary welcomed all and presented the report and accounts which were adopted after discussion.

Coms. M D Krishna Gowda, S A Ramachandra and Chandra Shetty were elected unanimously as President, Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.