15^th FEBRUARY 2017 – ONE DAY STRIKE

Towards the inevitable end - Victory.

K.K.N. Kutty

President, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and workers.

December-January is fog days in Northern India, especially Delhi.  Because of the high level pollution, it is not fog that engulfs Delhi but smog.  Temperature dips and rises quite often.  Air and Rail traffics are frequently disturbed and sometimes go out of gear.  It was not unknown to the National Sectt.of the Confederation when they decided to organize the rally at the Parliament street on 15^th December, 2016. There was no alternative as on November, 6^th, the stipulated four months period was over.   The National Sectt. of the Confederation came to the conclusion that the Government of India is run by people who indulges in double speak.  They have no shame even in indulging in betrayal.    

Confederation has a noble history and fine tradition. It does not indulge in the nasty habit of mincing words.  It exhibits the courage of calling a spade a spade.  It always has stood for the interest of the employees and workers, whom it represents.  It was built up over the years in the high values and traditions of a fine trade union.  While it believes that despite the differences in ideology, perception, and approach to the issues and problems, methods of negotiation, unity of the employees and workers are paramount in winning demands.   It was to uphold that tradition, on innumerable occasions, it agreed to defer the strike action, and ultimately even on 11^th July, 2016.  It had perceived correctly the weak pretensions of the Government, demonstrated before the leaders of the NJCA both on 30^th june, 2016 and 6^th July, 2016.  Therefore, its leadership could appreciate  the criticism that emanated from the right thinking persons in its stride. Many of those who chose to criticize the decision were concerned of the dent  the decision to defer the strike action  had created to the image of the Confederation.  An explanatory campaign was the need of the hour.  For sheer paucity of time, it could not be undertaken.  It would have allayed the apprehensions.  When it was done, though a little belatedly, it had its salutary impact.  And naturally, the National Sectt. could not have indulged in the luxury of revisiting the issue with independent action programme  when the climate in Delhi could become tolerable.  As is the case with every vibrant organization, there are persons who take advantage of the situation, criticize and create cacophony with the intent of destroying the very organization itself. The mammoth rally at Delhi in front of  the Parliament house on 15^th December, 2016 was the vindication of the understanding the Confederation National Sectt. had on the issues and a magnificent reply to all those whose intent was to destroy the organization.  

It is quite heartening that our Comrades, who felt betrayed by the chicanery of the Present Government, weathered the inclement weather conditions, the disruption of rail and air traffic movements,  the difficulties in reaching the venue by road, the chilly atmosphere at Delhi and above all the persisting engineered criticism of certain vested interest,  exhibited the anger and discontent in the most exemplary manner on 15^th December, 2016.  They deserve our felicitation, congratulation and grateful salute in creating yet another historic and successful programme.  They have through their loud and emphatic slogans raised and followed by thousands provided the required impetus to the National Sect. and confidence to go ahead with the forward steps of the battle.  The decision that was announced by the Secretary General to organize a one day token strike in protest against the attitude of the BJP Government was greeted therefore, with great enthusiasm by the rallyists

The demonetization and the consequent debilitating impact over the availability of currency has indeed made insurmountable impediments.  The whole country has been taken for a ride in the name of the noble cause of cleaning the economy of the black income.  Neither the generation of the black income  s tapped nor its proliferation  has been  targeted.  About one fifth of the National income of the country is stated to be in black. That hurts and hurts the common people.  While the successive Governments that came to power in the country since 1991, including the present in office had been extending concessions and exemptions for the corporate giants in crores, the common people were finding it difficult to make the both ends meet. The enforcement laws fear to knock at the doors of  those who have looted the  Nation and refused to pay back even  the loan they had contracted from the Nationalized Banks . The circus in the floor of the Parliament, session after session,  precludes any serious discussion or deliberation over the good  or bad of the executive  decisions concerning governance.   All appears to be with a  design to obliterate the real issues of the people from the centre stage.

The 105,000- crores, which is a highly exaggerated financial outflow worked out by the 7^th CPC for this fiscal year has been substantially reduced, thanks to the deferring the grant of enhanced allowances, disapproval of the Option No.1 granted by the commission to the Pensioners as a relief, the continuous derailing of the negotiating machinery and the sheer refusal even to abide by the decisions of the Judiciary and Arbitration Boards, deferring decision on extending the benefit of revision of wages and pension  to the employees of the autonomous organizations  etc. To sustain the untenable actions, threats are employed invoking the provisions of the colonial rules and regulations.   A good number of participants in the magnificent rally at the Parliament street on 15^th December, 2016 was the retired personnel, despite their physical debilities due to the advancing age.  They look forward to the NCCPA and the Confederation to articulate, present and fight for their demands and ensure that justice is rendered to them.

There is no doubt that the ongoing struggle undertaken by the Confederation will create sanctions not only on the Government but also on those who witness it from the sidelines but refuse to become part and parcel of an event that is bound to have its imprint in the history of the movement of the Central Government employees in the country. That should not deter us but steel  our determination to march to its glorious end of victory.