The 10th BPS in Banks caused
what is known as an " Exothermic Reaction "
(Hope our friends remember their Chemistry
subject. Exothermic means heat is liberated).
You can also characterise it as a highly
volatile situation with a low flash point
(some of you must have noticed the letters
painted on petroleum/oil tankers. They
prominently display the temperature at
which the liquid will remain as a liquid).
Such exothermic reactions are handled carefully with all precautions by chemical engineers/technicians. Otherwise there will be a disaster.
The leaders of the organisations who signed the BPS along with " Record Note," know the reactants they mixed and this tremendous heat generated in the hearts and minds of pensioners and the possible toxic climate, must have been known to these signatories.
For the time being there seems to be clapping with one hand only (from pensioners' side). The second hand is not joining the clapping. The organisations must be busy convening meetings of activists to organise collection of levies ( after all that is the bread and butter). It remains to be seen how much cheer this BPS brought to employees in service and how it takes care of their present and future (after retirement). Every employee has to retire some day. Our date of birth fixes our retirement. The existing employees will be tomorrow's pensioners and let us hope they show good will and understanding to the anguish among the existing pensioners. Or do they take a philosophical view and say ' who knows in what shape this industry would be in next decade itself?'
The feelings of hurt and pain among pensioners on being classified as " Receivers of Charity and welfare measures" and as those with whom " the banks have no contractual relationship" is wholly understandable and justified.
Shri Srinivasa Murthy wrote that there is no other way than to gather pensioners' organisations in Banks, RBI and Insurance on to a common platform to launch a big legal offensive, if need be by hiring top names in legal field to represent us. The idea is good enough. Was it not said in our prayers " Na Anyah Pantha Vidyathe...."
But I would add a line of caution. First let there be a common and collective expression of the grievance of pensioners from a common platform of RBI/Banks/Insurance sectors. Indeed I wrote about the need for such activity a few times in this blog. Being an eminent legal person himself Shri Murthy visualised this unity to launch big fight in Supreme Court. I would say the common platform visualised must launch agitations ( may be in a limited way consistent with our age and energies.) Politicians would not take notice of anything unless media coverage is there. The proposed joint activity must be of high profile involving big names in trade unions/ legal/political fields. Right now we alone know why we are weeping. The whole country has to know. All this requires cool-headed planning and preparation.
So even in this hot summer with temperatures hovering around 47 degrees celsius, lack of electricty, water etc. and the extra heat let off by the chemists of 10th BPS, let us keep our cool and start organising. Nothing happens suddenly at the eleventh hour that would come to our rescue. Life is not fantasy. We are fed with sufficient fantasy for one year. Let us be cool and practical.
B. Ganga Raju