Thank you Mr Gangadharan, for providing a wonderful platform for a
REUNION of sorts to some of your readers who were once HGAs in LIC.
Special thanks to Mr V.S.Rajamani to have picked up the nostalgic thread
of the then famous '220' case and to Mr Subburathinam for recalling the role of
the HGAs Association.
Quite a few Pensioners whose names are in circulation now, (thanks to
LIC PC), like SS Saxena, SN Chhabra, R Rajagopalan, and this writer included,
had the opportunity to actively associate themselves with the formidable HGAs
Association. I am describing it as formidable because it fought valiantly and
successfully for the rights of the HGAs (including non-members, unlike what is
happening now) not only with the mighty Corporation but also with the
all-powerful AIIEA.
K V Raman Kutty to the HGAs then is like KML Asthana today for the LIC
Pensioners. Raman Kutty started his legal battle against LIC’s move (that was abetted
by AIIEA) to abolish the cadre of Section Heads and merge them with HGAs. The
HGAs Association launched an epic battle at a Munsiff Magistrate Court in
Kerala which finally and eventually ended up at the Supreme Court, in favour of
the Petitioners. As a result, ’NO THANKS’ to LIC & AIIEA, HGAs eligible for
promotion to the Class I cadre, had to wait for ELEVEN long YEARS.
Mr Rajamani, was a keyman in Personnel Dept wherever he was. Naturally
tight-lipped and inaccessible. (with lot of undisclosed sympathy for his fellow
HGAs fighting for the cadre). Uncompromising loyalty to the Organization in his
role. But he was sweet and courteous to HGA leaders, if they approached him. An
authority on any and every rule and circular. Bosses depended on him heavily.
We never mistook him for ‘not leaking’ classified information. But he never
misled us too.
HGAs that remained with AIIEA, used to privately contribute to our
Association to fight the legal cases (like some of us did to KML). They were
committed to their Union though they knew AIIEA, was openly working against the
HGA cadre. Majority of Class III employees were with AIIEA, and were vocal fans
of Saroj Choudhury, including many of us who branched off and formed the HGAs
Association. Saroj’s public meetings were like music concerts. Two hours or
more of spell bound audience in pin drop silence (recently Mr Ganga Raju B,
aptly alluded to that). Promotee Class I Officers also in attendance and all of
us always. He used to take pot-shots at the HGAs who quit AIIEA but in refined
sarcasm. None of it offended us.
During Class III wage revision negotiations, HGAs Association also was
invited officially for the talks as none was a recognized Union. It was all a
R.Rajagopalan’s show. I was in the team but I had no clue what was being
discussed. We had immense faith in the leadership (They never know what is
ditching). Those were different days.
I had an opportunity to personally hand over to Saroj Chaudhury, a
victory circular issued by me as Joint Secretary (South). I wanted him to read
a sentence I composed in it with great pride
‘……never in the annals of Trade Union History, so much has been done by
so few to so many’.
