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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

CARTOON OR CARICATURE ?



The cartoon of the LIC Spy with his overcoat, hat etc. is eye catching. Life would be dull and uninteresting without such characters. Shall I call it a cartoon or caricature? 



In my long service I came across a few such intellectuals.

When I joined LIC in 1962 I had the fortune to work with staff from old companies (called 'Units'). The outlook of the staff of one unit greatly differed from that of staff of another unit. Natural. 

Just remember that 245 big and small companies were brought under one umbrella. Some of them were fiercely loyal to their company and would easily pickup a quarrel with others who questioned the doings of their dear institution. 

For example ORIENTAL and NEW INDIA staff had different outlooks. This determined their participation in Union activities also. I used to wonder when poor clerical staff who  struggled to meet family expenses used to call the Union "Communists" as if they had to lose a lot. But they were conditioned like that.  In 1968 we were to go on a strike, that too, for one day on 5th December of that year. What a herculean task to prepare the employees with divergent outlook
for the strike?

One section-head colleague of mine used to pay subscription but he would not have anything to do with strike. Not only he, his colleagues from his unit also were of that thinking. For them STRIKE is anti-institution. I used to wonder whether by going on strike we were anti-institution! How many of the present generation know that one union in LIC prided itself on not being communist.

Why I recollect this past is that I am amused when our "Anonymous" friend says that the demand for updation of pension is anti-LIC and anti-Policyholder! There used to be many of his tribe. Inspite of their outlook LIC progressed, wage increases were won, other benefits were introduced, pension came into being and nothing of the catastrophe imagined by the "anonymous" friend materialised. LIC's business went up, its income and assets increased, the expense ratios were highly favourable. Did our friend accept wage increase or chose to be governed by old scales of pay out of fear of harming policyholders' interests?

He must have also observed that after 2010 the rules governing PF and Pension were altered under instructions from Government of India to make LIC also fall in line with the changed regime. For bringing these adverse changes Government instructs and permits LIC to implement the changes. If an adverse change in brought for central government staff the same must be implemented in LIC also. Here no discussion about LIC's financial condition. What is good for CG staff is good for LIC Staff also ( from 2010).

But when coming to updation of pension (alongwith each wage revision) what is good for CG staff is not allowed to be put into effect in LIC. Why? Hope Mr. Anonymous would think about this.

It is in the law of nature that every living being will try to improve its condition. Why

pensioners should be faulted by people like Mr.Anonymous for trying to improve their condition?

He finds fault that some executives like EDs, ZMs after retirement are active in pensioners' organisations. Why should not they be? Does their status at retirement abridge their democratic right? All said and done in the population of pensioners how many will there be who retired in the cadres of ZM, ED etc.

His wish ( in his concluding sentence) that he would like to see Jaipur HC Order quashed is to say the least in bad taste. When somebody is valiantly swimming in a river in spate, does anybody express a wish that the swimmer must be drowned?

Any way. There is nothing new in the views expressed by Mr. Anonymous who prefers to operate "incognito".  In the picture " Sholay" the jasoos of angrez jamaneki jailor contributed to much laughter. Thanks to LICPC for the cartoon.

B. Ganga Raju Hyderabad