The Co-ordination Committee (CoC) of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNL CCWF had already given call to organise a Human Chain programme, against the National Monetisation Pipeline, disinvestment  and privatisation policies of the government. However, this programme had to be postponed under unavoidable circumstance. Now, the Co-ordination Committee has decided to organise this Human Chain programme on 14.09.2022. This programme should be organised in places where the general public gather. All the circle and district secretaries of AIBDPA are requested to successfully organise this Human Chain programme, in coordination with the BSNLEU and BSNL CCWF. Please give wide publicity of the programme and reports/photos be sent to CHQ..

CHQ is saddened to report the sad demise of Ms. Jyotsa Das, beloved wife of Com.M R Das, AGS at Guwahati on 04th September, 2022. She was ailing for some time long and under traetment in various hospitals, including the Super Speciality hospital at Bangalore. Unfortunately all these efforts could not save her life and she breathed her last due to multiple organ failure. CHQ pays homage to the departed wife of Com.M R Das and conveys heartfelt condolences to him and other family members.

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Declaration. View FileView File

A Massive worker peasant convention was held in the Talkatora Indoor Stadium at New Delhi today. Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) organised this convention. BSNLEU participated as an invitee. Comrades of BSNLEU participated in this Convention from Haryana, UP(East), UP(West) and Uttarakhand. A presidium consisting of Com.K. Hemalata, President, CITU, Com. Ashok Dhawale, President, AIKS and Com.Vijayaraghavan, President, AIAWU, presided over. Many burning issues of the workers, peasants and agricultural workers, were discussed in this meeting. The Convention passed a Declaration and 12 point charter of demands. The charter of demands include stopping of the privatisation of public sector undertakings, scrapping of the National Monetisation Pipeline, scraping of the 4 Labour Codes,   Rs.26,000/- Minimum Wage, Minimum Support Price for agricultural products and other demands. The Declaration adopted by the Convention in Hindi and English are given above. (Courtesy:BSNLEU Website)

Indian business tycoon, Gautam Adani has pipped Bernard Arnault of Louis Vuitton, France to become the 3rd richest person of the world according to the Blooming Billionaires Index. He has a net worth of 137.4 billion US dollars. The net worth of Elon Musk , the richest is 251 billion US dollars and that of the second richest Jeff Bezoz is 153 billion US dollaras. The elevation of Adani to this position in stunning pace is mainly due to the undue patronage of the governments and banks. Gautam Adani has added 60.9 billion US dollars to his fortune in 2022 alone, five times more than anyone elese. Adani’s Business Empire is spread to every sector, ports-airports, cement, coal mines, gas distribution, data centres, media,alumina and off late telecom. But worries also growing over the exponential growth. A CreditSight report says Adani’s deals spree has been predominantly funded with debt with every possibility of default. ( source: The Economic Times)

The number of Indian billionaries was only 09 in 2000 and in 2022 it is 166, thanks to the pro-corporate neo-liberal economic policies of the central government. While the Indian billionaires retained 99% of their wealth in the Covid-19 scenario, billionaires in other countries have lost 83% in their wealth. This thoroughly exposes the pro-rich economic stimulus packages of the central government during the period of the pandemic. The latest Oxfam India report states that 84% of the Indian households witnessed an income decline amid the covid-19 pandemic. The richest 98 Indians own the same wealth as the bottom 552 million people. In the report, India is described as a very unequal country.

As you are aware BSNL Corporate office has issued a letter on 30-08-2022 on allotment of funds to clear the medical reimbursement bills of BSNL pensioners upto 31-03-2022. However, the letter is silent about payment of without vouchers Medical Allowance. Further there are complaints about non consideration of VRS 2019 retirees for payment of Medical benefits. It is also a fact that the CGHS migrated pensions are not getting the payments due to some technical snag which is continuing for a long time.Therefore CHQ has written to the CMD BSNL for his intervention for resolution of these issues.

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AIBDPA has been waging continuous struggles for the settlement of the important issues of the BSNL retirees . The recently concluded three phased agitational programme, ending with the massive and historic Sanchar Bhawan March on 24-08-2022, has definitely made compulsions on the government and BSNL management.There have been positive developments in respect of the two burning issues, Pension revision and timely payment of Medical benefits. DOT has sent proposal for pension revision to the Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare.Now, the BSNL Corporate Office has allotted necessary fund to clear the medical bills of BSNL retirees upto 31-03-2022. The most significant part of the Order of BSNL CO is that future payment of medical bills has been made at par with the BSNL employees, stopping the discrimination. AIBDPA is thankful to Shri. P R Natarajan MP and Shri.John Brittas MP who also intervened effectively in the Parliament on these issues.

1Sanjib Banerjee

.Dear Comrades,

Hearty congratulations to all of you for the highly successful conduct of our Sanchar Bhawan March.

Now, many queries are being received by CHQ regarding different versions on the issue of pension revision.One organisation has claimed that DOT has approved their proposal for pension revision, that is CPC fitment, and sent to the DOP&PW for approval.Another organisation says they got information from reliable sources that the proposal approved by DoT is with zero percent fitment.So these are all contrasting claims in a hurry to create an impression among the pensioners that they are the only organisation for the achievement (?). There had been such claims earlier also and what happened later is known to all. The fact is that DOT has not divulged the real proposal reported to have approved. So we have to wait for the real and credible proposal and it’s final outcome.

One thing is very clear that the government cannot deny the pension revision any long. Our relentless struggles, particularly the historic and fantastic Sanchar Bhawan March have definitely made compulsions to the government.If the decision of the government on pension revision is not satisfactory we have to prepare for further struggles.

With warm Greetings.

K G Jayaraj

General Secretary,

CHQ has the gratification that the culmination of the three phased agitational programme, March to Sanchar Bhawan on 24-08-2022 has been made a stupendous success as in the case of the other two programmes. The participation, even from the comparitatively weaker circles was beyond expectations. The large premises of the BSNL/MTNL building complex, Eastern Court, New Delhi was jam packed with the struggle soldiers came from all parts of the country. They carried placards, flags and banners in good numbers which made the rally attractive. Before the March was taken out a meeting was held at Eastern Court at 1030AM. Com. V A N Namboodiri, Veteran leader and Advisor AIBDPA presided over the meeting. Com.R S Chouhan, AGS anchored the meeting. Com.Sanjib Banerjee, AGS welcomed one and all. Com.V A N Namboodiri in his presidential address explained the demands and the efforts and agitations conducted by AIBDPA.Com. A R Sindhu, National Secreatry, CITU and General Secretary, All India Federation of Angnawadi Workers and Helpers inaugurated with an inspiring speech thoroughly exposing the anti-people and anti-worker policies of Modi government and assured all the support to AIBDPA in its struggle for the settlement of the genuine issues of the pensioners. Coms. R N Parashar, Secretary General, Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers, P Abhmanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU, K K N Kutty, Secretary General , NCCPA, K Ragavendran, General Secretary, AIPRPA and Asia Regional Co-ordinator, TUI(P&R) and Com. Animesh Mitra, Secretary General, BSNLCCWF addressed. Com.R Muraleedharan Nair, AGS proposed vote of thanks.

The messages of Com.Ananta Kumar Bhattacharjee, President and Com.K G Jayaraj, General Secretary who could not participate due to health issues, were read out by Com.V A N Namboodiri.

After the meeting the March to Sanchar Bhawan started with thundering slogan shoutings demanding immediate pension revision, immediate clearnace of pending medical bills and allowance etc by the comrades. The March was led by Coms. V A N Namboodiri, Advisor, R Muraleedharan Nair, AGS, D Basu, AGS, M R Das,AGS and other leaders and Circle Secretaries. But the police blocked the March by locking all the gates to the road and large number of police under the command of Deputy Commissioner were at the road and stated that they cannot permit the March through the nerve centres of the capital city where 144 is already in force. Therefore the March had to be limited to the premises of the building complex. Memorandum listing out the demads and early settlement of the genuine issues was submitted by a delegation led by Com.V A N Nambbodiri to the Hon’ble Minister for Communications, Secretary, DoT and CMD, BSNL.

The memorable and highly successful event is another milestone in the history of not only AIBDPA but of the whole pensioners movemnt in the country. The inspiring Rally , participated by more than two thousand BSNL, Telecom pensioners , revealed the stregth of AIBDPA.. The participants were much enthusiastic and were proud of AIBDPA for its capability, advancement and the fighting potential. No doubt, it would help the organisation for the onward march to greater heights.

In the absence of General Secretary, Coms. R Muraleedharan Nair, AGS, T A Biju, Office Secretary, BSNLEU, R S Chouhan AGS, DPS Shishodia , Circle Secretary, Delhi effectively made all the arrangements for the successful conduct of the programme, guided by Com.V A N Namboodiri. CHQ thanks and Salute all the participants and the leaders of various organisations for their participation and inspiring and encouraging speeches.