LIC PENSIONERS CHRONICLE

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Of late we have been receiving some clear and candid comments about the ongoing legal battle in the Supreme Court and a few High Courts.  Pensioners are by and large aware of the issues involved.  They are happy that there is a fair degree of success in their attempts to realize their legitimate demands through the Courts.  But they are also unhappy for the reasons that they are not able to clinch final victory and realize their long pending and genuine demands. 

Pensioner organisations in LIC have taken up the issues.  While Shri Asthana was able to awaken the LIC pensioners and their vital interests through a court order in Jaipur, there were also similar writ petitions moved in the High Courts of Punjab and Haryana as also Delhi. All these writ petitions were won.  But owing to resistance from the LIC of India and the Central Government, the implementation of the court order has not met with any success.  

In the meantime, the Supreme Court has directed to place all the petitions together for its consideration on 12th August 2014.  The opportunity it provides seems to be one of immense importance for it affords an opportunity to the pensioner organisations to make a common plea before the Court.  

But as things stand at present, there is no imminent possibility of such a joint plea before the Supreme Court.  The pensioner organisations seem to have their own issues to fight against one another. Shri Asthana has the legitimate right to claim entire credit for his victory in the Rajasthan High Court.  He has been conducting the case in the Jaipur Bench of Rajasthan HC and  the Supreme Court all alone despite his failing health. We must congratulate Shri Asthana for the zeal with which he has been conducting the cases for the sake of LIC pensioners.  Other pensioner organisations do have differences.  This is only natural.  In a legal fight, differences about approach are going to be there. Here also pensioners should have no difference of opinion. Sincerity of the concerned persons and the organisations they represent is never questioned.  We should appreciate their sincerity, earnestness and honesty.  

A time however has now come to see whether the court cases should be conducted in the way wisdom of the individuals demands or not.  There is a recent discussion spearheaded by Shri Srinivasa Murty of Hyderabad.  He is able to present certain points with a lot of persuasion about the same.  We cannot simply ignore his arguments in this regard.

It is felt that we should talk to Shri Asthana and persuade him to discuss the matter with the lawyers of other organisations when the matter comes up before the Supreme Court. We know it is difficult to do so for a person who did the job all alone all these years. It is to be admitted that he stole the show. And kudos he deserved on his own right.  While the LIC pensioners in the country are expressing their gratitude to Shri Asthana in unmistakable terms, the pensioners expect Shri Asthana to realize the demands of the situation and rise above narrow considerations to do his role of giving proper leadership and to continue his fight, if necessary, under the banner of a joint front.  It is our hope that the matter will be discussed with Shri Asthana and before long we are able to put up a joint fight against LIC and Government of India. That will only ease the burden of Shri Asthana.

'Let us do it' is the clarion call and sincere wish of the hapless pensioners. 
Let that wish of the pensioners yield fruition. 

We are sure, Shri Asthana will be solving the problem before long.  Only he can do it. None else!