Goodbye to a fateful yet memorable 2015 and welcome to an exciting, happy and prosperous New Year 2016...
Dear comrades,
I think it is the right time to trek down the memory lane and take a fleeing glimpse at the happenings during the last nearly 2 years with Sri MSS Rao holding the reins of the circle and taking it in a topsy-turvy, whimsical drive. True, as is usual, there was a very brief honey moon period. But after that Sri MSS Rao came to his true self and started dismantling the well-established healthy system prevailing in the Circle with a maddening haste. The consultative mechanism between the management and unions was thrown to the winds. The maintenance and development activities as well as the service delivery for which the Circle was the unquestionable leader in the country was thrown out to dismantle the existing system and harmony brick by brick.

From the very beginning he did not acknowledge the role of the BSNL employees and Kerala Work culture to the profit and efficiency of Service in Kerala. He attributed it to the ignorance of BSNL customers and their blind faith in Public Sector. We have pointed out the examples of many other CPSUs in Kerala like ITI , Instrumentations,, HOC. HMT, Kerala News Print, CSL etc which is profit making but their other units at national level are at loss.. Our record on MNP and continuance of more than 30 lakhs land phone connections did not opened his eyes and he could not recognise the role of employees in BSNL service. We have told him on his face and in writings that his attitude is demoralising one and humiliation to our most literate esteemed customers .He declared nothing is in order and everything need to be changed in Kerala Circle -whether operational, planning , marketing or HR . He gave several names to his misdeeds starting with meeting syndromes (daily, weekly, monthly ) rationalisation and fixing norms for every one and anyone from TM to DGM , reorganisation of mobile, Civil, electrical wings, reduction of staff from many potential SSAs, categorisation of customers, DCRMs, IMS , derailing the time tested Transfer policy etc. All these activities rendered every one to be a mere data entry operators preparing for the meetings and reports .

Well aware of the impracticability and its impact on service delivery and growth potential we could not bow down to these Quixotic actions. Coupled with this the corrupt practices, he was indulging in on many fronts, particularly in the Nortel issue was something that an employee worth his salt could hardly swallow. Therefore the SNEA decided to fight him on all the fronts that were at hindrance to the interests of the Circle. We gathered courage and questioned his style and damaging changes pushed down our throats unilaterally.

He was bent upon knocking down everything and everyone that was not in compliance with the sycophantic and boot-licking style. Field realities were simply ignored and his whims imposed and thrust upon in the entire Circle. In March 2014 he retaliated with transfer orders of executives with the surprising and shocking decision to transfer 68 executives from TVM, EKM and Kannur without considering a single request transfer cases including those Executives who had completed more than 2 years in away SSAs. We could not accept things lying down and therefore had to question this unjust and autocratic dismantling of the existing transfer practices being followed in the Circle since the last 7 years. But true to his character he was in no mood to listen to reason.

As stated earlier his one-sided and detrimental decisions retarding the growth and loss to the Company in the Circle was something we had to fight tooth and nail. We were compelled to resort to various forms of trade union action at Circle and CHQ levels including day- night hunger strike spanning 38 days/nights. This was followed up with indefinite hunger strike at the Circle and Corporate offices lasting more than 4 days. Our fighting comrades were arrested and hospitalised. Sri.M.S.S.Rao then set out on a spree of vindictive actions against SNEA office-bearers, leaders, activists and members through criminal defamations, Transfers, charge sheets, reversions, dies-non for more than 3 months ( amounting to lakhs of Rupees), disconnection of residential service connections, withdrawal of data facility are but a few to mention.

Comrades, as you know only too well, we had to suffer a lot. But the pains that we had to undergo did not deter us to compromise the genuine issues of injustice that our entire membership was exposed to. Our struggle continued with dimensions that extended beyond the boundaries of the Circle and with programs never ever practised by any trade union organisation in the BSNL or even in the State, and that only to protect the interest of our company BSNL , esteem of our Comrades; the rights of our members. We knew that we were fighting against a force that could break any rules, never cared for any norms; but whose only interest was to establish his dictatorial authority and suppress our struggle and continue his wrong doings. We were not to be cowed down by the oppressive tactics but continued and intensified our struggle, despite the hardships and pain and even the bleeding that we had to undergo. True to the proud heritage that we have inherited from our predecessors we decided that we would fight this battle to the end, even if it required our martyrdom. Yes, this battle had gone beyond the imaginations of anyone. We stood brave, each one of you stood brave and redeemed the prestige and strength of our Association. And in the process we had to invoke and earn the most committed and determined spirit of our CHQ, who not only stood up to the occasion but even surpassed our own expectations. Their interactions and struggle with the Corporate office , the CMD , the Dir CFA, the Dir HR, the Secy DOT, the MOC, the P.M, the CVC, the CVO were of the required dimension to boost up our morale and take the struggle to unanticipated and unexpected success. All the while Sri Mss Rao put his foot on the accelerator with more and more punitive actions. His mouthpieces even started propagating that no one could do any damage to him and went even beyond that by stating that Sri M.S.S.Rao would be getting an extension by three more years, all this to attempt to whittle down our strength and unity.

In this process all our CHQ leaders right from Com. G L. Jogi Presi CHQ,, Com. K Sebastin G.S CHQ and all CHQ office bearers had to face criminal defamation cases at TVM. Our CS, C T. SSA secy TVM, SSA president TVM, Branch Secy Circle office and so many others are facing charge sheets (our Circle President could not be contained in the punitive net only because he is not under the control of Sri.MSS Rao). More than 3 of our comrades are already issued with punishments withholding 3 increments with cumulative effect, thereby foregoing their service by three years with similar effects on their pension. 20 officers (Com. Narendran, Com. Santhosh kumar and Com. Suneer )and BSNLEU members were suspended and more the 30 charge sheets are under process. Circle Secretary lost his three promotion - regular DE, DGM grade and DGM Offg. We have filed/ defended more than 7 cases in CAT and High Court in this process. Hundreds and hundreds of comrades faced dies non ranging from one day to 100 days. But comrades, nothing including punishments, tortures and threatening could cow us down from our firm and determined stand against corruption, autocracy and denial of our genuine HR and trade union rights.

Finally our stand has been totally vindicated with concrete authority that whatever corruption issues we had projected were fully true; in fact it was only a tip of the ice-berg, with Rao facing more and more charges of corruption. And the final solution, as demanded by us, was the pushing out of Rao from the CGMT’s post. No courts could come to his rescue with the Apex Court finally upholding the BSNLCO order transferring him from the post of CGMT. He had to cut the most sorry figure in the CAT Ernakulam by unilaterally withdrawing the case filed by him in that Court. Yes, finally, all the Courts upheld the BSNL Corporate office findings that Sri.Rao is corrupt and an impediment for the growth of BSNL service in Kerala. Every Executive who calls himself a SNEA member should be elated and excited about the heroic and Herculean role played by the Association in dethroning this self-proclaimed king, who thought and declared that he is invincible. He has not only been squarely defeated but has also received his due share in the form of charge sheets for major punishment before his retirement. We have successfully removed the root cause of the problem through valiant struggles, which even our enemies acknowledge. Now nothing can stand in our way in settling all the pending issues. In fact no one can and will dare to ignore our genuine demands! No one can underestimate the real strength of this Association!

We are aware that some comrades who were transferred in 2013 appear to be losing their patience over further delay in realising their transfers back to their home SSA. Yes, comrades, we are aware of your agony. But you have to remember that it is Sri Rao, who declared that SDEs and JTOs should not use the term Home SSA as they are all India/ Circle cadre and as such they are not eligible for request transfers after two years . This was also one of the main issues on the agenda of our long drawn out and varied struggles. But today after eliminating the root cause we are back on the right track. Yes, today, your transfer is not denied but may be delayed by a couple of weeks. You have not been charge-sheeted, you have not been served with punishments, you have not been suspended, you have not been reverted, you have not lost any promotion, you have not lost your salary, you are not facing criminal proceedings. You should relax for a moment and just consider the torments and sufferings that your own comrades have undergone to ensure that your transfer is considered as a right and not simply something that is out of question. You must remember how many are suspended, how many are reverted , how many lost promotion , how many lost their salary , how many are facing criminal proceedings in the court, how many are facing departmental proceedings under major penalty. Your Service book and APAR still remains colourful but theirs contain only red marks for no cause of theirs but for the cause of their fellowmen. Comrades, for a moment feel proud that we are part of an Association, which had the courage and strength to question and throw out a whimsical dictator. You must also know that those comrades who courageously took upon themselves all the victimisation and torture are still proud of this Association and more committed than ever before to walk the hard mile with this Association, if need be. No, they are not complaining that they lost so much but they are carrying their scars proudly as any war hero and displaying their wounds boldly, because they know that their pains have made gains for others; their pains have not gone in vain. But for a noble cause, perhaps the noblest cause. We have to salute our BSNLEU comrades who never had any remorse to fight along our side for our cause, even though it meant untold suffering .

However comrades please rest assured that all your requests/ demands will be taken due care of because it is only for members like you that this Association has gone to such lengths; such struggles. Kindly remember that even today six of the comrades are still under suspension and they earned this suspension not for their personal self but it was your cause also that they were fighting for. We reassure everyone that this Association shall not permit injustice on anyone. It shall not keep its mouth shut in the face of encroachment on our members’ rights. It shall fight till justice is re-established.

I salute all of you for your committed and fearless actions during this testing time . I thank our CHQ and all comrades of other circles and BSNLEU for their active involvement in this struggle against corruption and for protecting the interest of BSNL Kerala.

Wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year 2016.

Comradely yours

sd/-
George Varghese
Circle Secretary.
SNEA Kerala Circle