LIC Pensioners' Chronicle has done an excellent service by giving space in its blog to every one who had to say something or other in the matter of such united plea before the SC. The PC acted as a catalyst.
I hope our pensioners remember their chemistry lessons learnt in college days. A Catalyst is one which increases the speed of a chemical reaction . In the process the compounds that enter the reaction undergo a change to produce finally a different compound. BUT THE CATALYST DOES NOT UNDERGO ANY CHEMICAL CHANGE. It remains what it was. It only alters the speed of a reaction. The PC helped in propogation of the idea of unity move that is highly desirable. The Government and the bureaucracy would be delighted to see our organisations working at cross purpose. The Unity Move was to preempt this possibility.I felt happy that the idea gained currency and was debated, if not in the executive committees or general bodies ( about which we have no reports) atleast among all pensioners in whose name the cases are being fought. The dialectics teach us that when ideas grip the masses they become a powerful material force. ( Hence all oppressive regimes try to crush ideas.) India could achieve independence only when the idea of Purna Swaraj gripped the masses. Till then the ideas remained in the brains of intellectuals only who were content to pass resolutions. WHY DID COMMON PEOPLE CLASH WITH POLICE AND MILITARY IN EGYPT RECENTLY and WHY ARE PEOPLE BRAVING TEAR GAS AND POLICE VIOLENCE IN HONGKONG RIGHT NOW? That is the power of ideas whose days have arrived.
But ideas scare the established leadership . Mr. GNS plainly said the unity moves resulted in a split and hence scare him. He says that the agenda of ( his) federation is loud and clear. He clarifies " the ideal theory should not stand in the way of getting the most delayed benefit for the aged pensioners....." Which means that the idea of updation of pension, if pursued vigorously would result in further delay of settleing the DA Parity for pre 8/97 pensioners. I feel he need not entertain any worry on this count. In Banking Sector IBA came forward to say that they are willing to concede this demand. LIC also would follow suit. If as he says his idea and that of his federation is to pursue benefit for all, now is the time for him to strengthen the demand of updation of pension. We conduct struggles for what is not easily available. When Jaipur Judge gave a favourable verdict that paves the way for achieving the demand of updation, it would be sheer poverty of ideas to feel satisfied with a benefit which anyway the managements can not but give.
All said and done what was sought to be achieved.? Unity before the Supreme Court Bench. That is all. Nobody preached that the organisations should physically merge and become one. That would no doubt be ideal, but this world is imperfect and none of us can claim perfection.
Anyway in another 2 days there are going to be 2 conferences of LIC Pensioners. Similarly Retd. Cl. I Fed. also may have its conference some time. If the leadership feels they need the mandate of their Conferences to pursue the idea of Unity and see that it is crystallised, it can be placed on the agenda of conferences in a suitable way and debated and a decision can be taken. For now I feel the ordinary members donot deny liberty to their leaders the freedom to pursue good ideas. It would only be proper to wait for a week and see things materialise. BUT AS A GOOD SAMARITAN PG OF LICPC MUST CONTINUE HIS GOOD WORK.
