LIC PENSIONERS CHRONICLE

Just for the reason that we have
received a couple of posts, we
wouldn't have taken up this 'issue'
about Shri KML Asthana. In fact,
although we have received in the
past criticism about Shri Asthana's
way of functioning, we hesitated

to say anything. We were, for
our own reasons, only worried
about our own business. And 

nothing else.

Our breaking news created problem for Asthana

• There were problems.  Even when the pensioners knew that the case relating to pension was taken up for hearing on different issues by Jaipur Bench, it was difficult to gather information about these cases. Once we wrote to the Federation leadership at various levels, but there was no reply.  The only channel available was that of Shri HK Aggarwal but we are sorry, even we could not get news about what transpired in the Court on any particular days. We developed communication with our own channels for information and we are glad to say, we could get important news through such channels. We did break news on several occasions although there was no perceptible change in Shri Asthana's style of working in court matters.  Suffice it say, with the emergence of Shri Murty on the scene and other appeals were also tagged with Shri Asthana's cases, the whole scene was open to the pensioners. Pensioners were happy with these developments.

Pressure on Chronicle to withdraw news

We found that with the changes in the situation, the relative importance of Shri Asthana and those who issued statements and collected funds for Shri Asthana slowly diminished. That's how Shri Asthana started becoming a little disillusioned. The contempt petition was dismissed by the Court, but he tried to hide this matter from public knowledge. Even when we broke the news that the contempt petition had been dismissed, we were under pressure over telephone to withdraw the news. Although we were made to withdraw news on a few occasions, this time we refused to oblige, and that's how pensioners got this all important news through the Chronicle
.

Our first contact with Shri Asthana

Our first contact with Shri Asthana was when we tried to interview him. We sent a questionnaire of 15 questions, but Shri Asthana was not prepared to answer them immediately.  We had put several tough and inconvenient questions. A reply we did receive.  It was Shri Asthana's desire that we should first read the booklet AIRIEF had issued which described Shri Asthana as the ARJUNA OF KURUKSHETRA. 

Arjuna of Kurukshetra

We managed a copy of the booklet and read. It was clear by now that Shri Asthana was not willing to answer the questions, but at the same time in so many words he was suggesting to us to project him in the way the booklet had done for him.  But we discarded his idea.  Finally we wrote to him that if he does not want to answer the questions, we may be inclined to publish the questionnaire itself in the blog. He sensed the danger in this move and promptly we were told that he would send his answers shortly. But the answers were not forthcoming. We were thus abandoning the project. 

Meeting of Advocates and Case Managers

Then came the repeated demands from pensioners for a joint meeting of advocates and case managers.   Our Pensioner friends are aware that there were persistent demands for a meeting being conducted. We too wanted to go with the pensioners. We thought that such a meeting may do immense good for the pensioners. 

What happened thereafter on different occasions is part of our history.  There was a lot of hue and cry, serious discussion, different conditions were advanced and finally we know that nothing has so far happened. The main hurdle was Shri Asthana's attitude. He assumed the role of an all-important person, none else was permitted to take initiative, he himself wouldn't do anything, and he sabotaged this move for a meeting in his typical style. 

"You are writing non-sense" says Asthana

On one occasion when there was discussion about a meeting to be held in Delhi in which Shri GN Sridharan had agreed to attend, Shri Asthana was telling us many things in his typical style. To our surprise, we were even bluntly told: "YOU ARE WRITING NON-SENSE".  When we told him that after all, we were only discussing issues of interest to the pensioners, that we should not use harsh words, he was angrily repeating his words YOU ARE WRITING NON-SENSE.  

11 lakh visitors also read the "non-sense"

We believe, with us, 11 lakh visitors to the blog have also read the "NON-SENSE" we have been publishing in the blog. But inspite of all these provocations, we were not prepared to divulge the details of this talk with Shri Asthana, thinking always that the pensioners do not require any controversy, they require only a peaceful settlement of their pension-related demands. We received advice from various well meaning fellow pensioners in this matter. And surely we have a feeling that we have heeded such advices in its true spirit.

ANONYMOUS LETTER - An unsolicited free lesson
to the Blog Editor

As for anonymous letter, Shri Asthana wrote to us as follows. You can see his words couched in impolite language and arrogance:-

"ASTHANA JAIPUR

22-04-2015

To: licpensionerscalicut@hotmail.com Cc: anandprs@yahoo.co.in, embargk@gmail.com, n.narayana18091930@gmail.com

(For the time being, we reserve our comments. If necessary, we will be publishing the correspondence.)

To the Federation leadership, too, he has written in intemperate language, copies of which we are in possession.  Again he has written to Mr. Narayanen which was published by us with the title "A case of mistaken identity".

We have more to add but for the time being we restrain ourselves from writing a long post. It is now for the pensioner-friends to suggest a course of action. We feel that it is time Shri KRISHNA MURARILAL ASTHANA is given enough rest so that he can recoup his health. 

Our readers will be free to express their views in this matter.