(POST BELATED BY A WEEK)
Are already a divided (nay, a fractured) house,
no thanks to some of our chosen leaders who either don’t recognize the
existence of any other stakeholder (in the court battles) or so self-centred
that they don’t care what happens to the pensioner community as a whole, just
to prove themselves right.
Do we really need one more justification to
divide ourselves further?
The Lawmen & the Laymen?
Who said our so called laymen are really laymen
and the so called lawmen are in fact lawmen? (with one exception perhaps in the
latter category because he acts and talks like he is infallible in all matters
legal, claims a hundred times that a court order is wrong and gets away doing
precious little to undo what he condemns as a wrong order).
Talking of laymen, for God’s sake let us not
discount the profundity and depth of legal knowledge/practical wisdom possessed
first and possibly cultivated later by people like Sri C H Mahadevan, Sri SN ( a 1992 pensioner ), Sri B Ganga Raju and others. When they describe themselves
as laymen and wish to yield space to the so called lawmen, it only shows their
genuine modesty. Only those who are really knowledgeable, take such stand
because knowledge and ‘arrogance’ do not coexist.
M/s B Ganga Raju and M V Venugopalan, made out a
strong case that the case handlers should keep the Pensioners well informed of
what is going on. Why certain steps are taken and why certain steps are not
taken. Their plea, however justified it may be, appears to be a cry in
wilderness because there are no listeners as far as Jaipur and Delhi are
concerned. I have excluded Chandigarh because, I am in a position to (with due
authority) to mention what is happening there.
I will try to answer some of the major concerns
raised by Mr Venugopalan in his latest Post titled ‘silence is golden’ (the
sarcasm in his choice of the title is well taken).
Seeking clarification from the SC on the clumsy
Order dated 7 May 2015:
It was a considered decision not to do it as far
as we are concerned. Because whoever first goes back to Supreme Court, runs the
risk of being shown the door with a cryptic order ‘we had said what we need to
say. We have nothing to add’. Also, the direction to ‘act’ was to LIC and not
to us. If we rush to SC, before LIC acts, it is certainly premature. The
correct Party which ought to have approached the Court for clarification was
LIC. But it did not because it is not interested in any payment being made to
its Pensioners.
As far as Jaipur is concerned, in my view, the
Petitioners there are in an unenviable situation. In terms of the 7 May Order,
in a strictly legal sense, they have to suffer LIC’s mischief because SC Order
is not unambiguous. It will be so till the SC Bench revisits its Order. LIC’s
only burden is to get absolved if any one raises the contempt charge. It has at
its disposal Super Senior Advocates who can bail it out from any situation
including wilful serious contemptuous actions/inactions. Look at the six week
time stipulated by SC for 20% payment on 7 May. LIC has not only not complied
with it, but it did not even initiate action till after the six week period is
over. One expects it would seek extension of time citing the enormity of the
exercise. It would have easily got six weeks more. But it did not approach the
Supreme Court either for clarification on the Order or for extension of time.
It just did not even start acting. What does it all suggest? It is like LIC
telling the Bench ‘’you may order whatever you want to order, we will do what
we want to do’’. Is any other explanation possible? The reason is simple, if it approaches the
Court for any purpose there is the chance for the
Pensioners to get the order clarified/modified. So take (give) no chance.
What a pity? A mighty Corporation headed by a
distinguished LAWMAN, acting with such brazen contempt for the country’s Apex
Court.
LIC had applied in Jaipur for withdrawal of 20%,
Matter came up and adjourned for two weeks (as I happened to hear – no
authentic reporting of course). A similar application is made in Chandigarh
after some dilly dallying, just on the eve of the hearing of the Contempt case.
Delhi: Less said the better. I heard GNS had
called for the membership lists from his three and half affiliated Units. Let
us all join his likely procession to Yogakshema with Naadswaram for the
ceremonial handing over of the very valid membership lists. That should have
been the unpublished understanding arrived with LIC. A brilliant example of
‘harakiri’ & betrayal combined.
LIC’s sole aim behind all the strategy – drag
the matter till Sept 2015 without paying anything. When there are petitioners
ready to cooperate, where is the problem?
My Ray of Hope is the opportunity at Chandigarh
on 20th July. It can turn the tables against LIC and LIC can be
compelled to approach the Supreme Court.
That will be our day
