A very different May Day

FEDERATION OF RETIRED LIC CLASS I OFFICERS' ASSOCIATIONS          

President :    N.P. Bali 705, Sur, Veena Saaz, Thakur Complex, Kandivali (East), Mumbai - 400 101 Mob : 9820324213 Email Id - npbali@hotmail.com

General Secretary :    D Krishnan No.6/1, Sreshta Riverside Apartments, Wood Creek Road, Nandambakkam, Chennai - 600089 Tel : 9176635967 / 044 42850049. Email Id - dkrishnan1@gmail.com

E circular No.DK/22                         30-04-2020

Friends,                                                                                                                                             Reg....    A very different May Day ...

This communication comes to you to mark the universal day of labour.  "May Day is the day to salute the hard work and Dedication of strong-willed souls around us". And just look at what we in India are going through, with the most unprecedented kind of situation, which makes us almost feel defensive, to talk about our Rights as work-men, who have built whatever institutions worth the name are there, in the world!

This is indeed a very strange situation, where DR freeze and wage cut are the order, and discretion seems to nudge us, to indicate, it may not be the opportune moment to stand up against it. Just see how even the seasoned AIBEA has gone on record to tell its members that they need to be patient and not immediately push, for taking up the issue of Revision, which had almost run its full course in respect of Negotiations and agreed points. Just that, the final technical evidence of completeness was not there in the form of an Agreement signed by both sides.

        Such indeed are the times, and that's what made the smart, Senior Counsel of AIRIEF, Sri Nidesh Gupta, who was rearing to charge, in the Court, just the other day, to write a personal letter to the Chief Justice of the SC, requesting him, to not be in haste, to resume normal working of the SC, lest this relentless enemy at the door, should make a sneaking entry,  which up to now has claimed over 1,000  lives in India and over 2,29,000  all over the world.

So, this May Day, seems like a day to think and introspect, rather than jump and be seen, at an unacceptable variance, with the general ecology around. While the Day of Labour proclaims the strength and vivacity of life for the living, here is a pandemic that seems to fill the Death Register, all in a hurry. On top of it, the very corner-stone of any economy, labour, is shaken to its roots, mainly in the informal sector, through wholesale loss of employment, which may soon touch 1.6 billion world over, according to an estimate of the ILO. This May Day will then go down in the annals of History as one which stood rock-like, challenging the devastations caused by the Virulent and vicious Virus, through great restraint and discipline. WE do know, this is but a passing phase, however testing the terrible experience may be for now.

Coming back to our own SLP, there were voices from within, as to whether we can't have the Case pushed up in the line, to even have it as part of the Tele-Hearing List, which the SC may now be operating, to remain nominally functional. For one, ours may not fit in with the general criteria for such urgent Disposal , and for another, under the dark clouds of a Lock-Down economy, and the resulting privations all around, the very idea of justice and fair-play, may take on a different hue, with the Judges, thereby rendering it difficult for a balanced Decision, in our favour on the up-gradation demand.

        All of us do understand these things. But, our problem is, as Pensioners, time may be steadily slipping under our feet, and the reason for some of us asking for an early look, may indeed lie here. Do we have an option now?  One thing the leadership of the Federation promises is to keep alert on the emerging times, and ensure our Case does not suffer more undue loss of time.

 'They also fight who stand and wait'.

With May Day Greetings

D. Krishnan.

P.S:

Shri S.K.Awasthiji, Jt. Secretary Lucknow has  shared a news of pride  to all our LICians.

Ms. Kumud Bajpai, aged 85 years, a family pensioner, wife of Late Jagdish Kumar Bajpai, who served as Hindi Officer (AO) in LIC Lucknow and retired prior to 1997, has done exemplary work since the nationwide lock down has come into effect. With her meager pension of about Rs.10000 and her savings,  she has been stitching triple-layered cotton masks for the benefit of the needy, in her locality. She also prepares 50-70 food packets every day, to be distributed to the poor. Her entire family is involved in this noble act. She spends more than  Rs.3000 per day. Kudos to  this super senior LIC family pensioner.-- 

D.Krishnan

General Secretary