Posts
11/01/2009 15:53
To: agarwalr@zeenetwork.com
Subject Protest against Mischievous Reporting
I write with reference to your TV coverage on 8th Jan'09 and the trailing mail from one of our colleague addressed to you.
At the outset, let me tell you that I was not one of the strikers. Being a senior officer, who are not part of the association, I was deputed on contigency duty at Palam inernational Aviation Fuel Station, and diligently worked for all three days in double shift to keep aircrafts flying. Having done that, rightly or wrongly, I have not supported the strike by my action and therefore can not have any say on the rationality of the demands or path of agitation. I shall refrain myself from doing so.
What hurt me personally is your reporting of blatant lies on the wage structure of us . I have put in my 26 years of service in Indian OIl and now working at the capacity of Dy. General Manager. My salary slip says, I am earning around Rs 50,000.00 per month and taking home around Rs 30,000.00 per month after tax deductions. In fact after considering the bonus and perquisites, I am filing an IT return towards gross income of around Rs 10 lacs per anum. Your coverage projects my salary income as Rs 2.75 lacs per month which amounts to Rs 33.00 lacs per anum. If required, you may consult my IT return, which I shall be obliged to furnish. Are you shocked once again ? Hope so.
I am further hurt being lebelled as Anti National by your coverage. I have personally, with so many of my colleagues, spent sleepless nights to keep fuel supplies on during Super Cyclone at Orissa and Tsunami at Port Blair. In fact one of my colleague has laid down his life in Tsunami at Car Nicober. So many of my colleagues have risked their lives in keeping supplies on during Kargil conflict and Earthquake in Bhuj. Each sacrifice is a story which has never come in press as they were least bothered about coverage. Service was primary which they fulfilled at the cost of their life. Neither they expected any propaganda, nor media felt that there was enough TRP to pick the story.
My dear sir, that is what hurts. Without going through the debate on wheather the strike was just.
Hope, you will come out with an open discussion over the issue involving persons who matter and persons who do not matter both. As layman of journalism, I understand that is the most balanced way of reporting.
Just see the result of Zee's Anti-nationals
ReplyDeletePSUs outclass private cos in terms of revenue
12 Jan 2009, 1454 hrs IST, Shailesh Menon, ET Bureau
Detractors of PSU companies, here's something to chew on and change your mindset. The aggregated revenues of the 31 PSUs are more or less equal to the aggregated revenues of the 216 private sector companies, according to a report by business consultancy firm Dun & Bradstreet.
Indian Oil Corporation, Life Insurance Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (in that order) have been adjudged India's top PSU companies in term of income by business consultancy firm Dun & Bradstreet. The oil refiner-cum-marketer, India Oil Corp logged revenues to the tune of Rs 23,09,540 million in 2008 while LIC and BPCL posted Rs 20,63,785 million and Rs 11,19,422 million respectively as turnover sales during the considered period.
You are never given a wish without also
ReplyDeletebeing given the power to make it come true.
You may have to work for it, however
Being an ardent believer in the spirit of fair play, the blatant distortion of facts and the insuniations levelled against the striking lot of officers were punches below the belt and to the discerning eye smacked of extreme bias.
ReplyDeleteIt would perhaps have been more prudent for the media to delve a little deeper into the subject before summarily dismissing the claims of the Oil sector officers association as an act of ransom or even unreasonable. The pay revision was due in 2007. Two years later, we are still in square one.Is that unreasonable?
True, the strike caused a lot of hardship to the common people but so do the innumerable strikes caused by the political parties. Of course, I am not defending the right to strike but the snowballing could have been avoided in the very first phase itself when the democratic process of negotiations were on.
To what pass has democracy come to if you need to go on strike to be heard by the people in power?
History is a witness to the enormous effort being put in ,day in and day out ,by the oilmen both during normal times and exigencies likethe Kargill war or the Bhuj Earthquake or even the supercyclones. When the crude prices were skyrocketing, these PSU shouldered part of the subsidy burden to keep the nation moving when other private marketeers ignored the domestic market and went for more lucrative and profit based opportunities abroad. True , oil bonds were issued but that covered only part of the losses. I wonder which private house would put the country before profits.
Any certifcation on the contribution of these men towars the process of nation building from the media is therefore superfluous.
Come on, lets us give these brave men their due
We all know and have seen the sebversion of media who have become the tools of the rich and powerful even as they defend the right to freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteI do not support strikes but the officers and some of whom are professionals who have been quoted as White collar hijackers by the media are not fighting for nothing.
They are only seeking implementation of the Rao Committee recomendations and given that they are the navratnas and Fortune 500 and have generated enough profits of the Govt, they are merely demanding its implementation. Nothing more.
a) why were the the white collared compelled to resort to this to make themselves be heard ? b) is their action so unlawful and unjustified to call for termination and suspension than the errant beuaracrats and politicians' whose inaction and callous approach have caused so much damage to the economy, goodwill and the security of this country - be it spate of terror attacks and corporate scandals and many more where the truth is still struggling to find its way to be heard in this country weighed down under the heaviness of corruption and lack of governanace?
c) do the officers not deserve to be on parity in terms of other Fortune 500 companies ?
d) have they not not worked to keep the economy going under various circumstances when many companies as a measure of abundant precaution declared holidays ? The economy thrived on unquestioning hard work of these officers who worked behind the scenes and when they chose not to, the Govt alleged Hijack and blackmail and invloked ESMA.
e) what action would be taken against the politicians and beauracrats who used the media to release wrong figures and facts and mislead the public and viewers ?
f) what is the dividend that has been declared by these oil companies as return to its shareholders - the Govt over the years ? Could the shareholders reap the benefit without the collective efforts of the employees and management of the oil companies ?
g) And why is there no talk of the Rao Committee recomendations which is the main demand and reason for the strike ?
- Hide quoted text -
g) is this the role of the media ? They can go against the I&B ministry's appeal to stop live telecast of terror attacks in Mumbai on Nov 26 - 29, 2008 contending that gag order is anti- democracy but they choose convenience over their duty for a fair and unbiased and unsubstantiated reporting in many other cases even if results in defamation. Is this democracy !!
Why shoild oil sector employees blame media for the baseless story carried by them? There is a leagal way to deal with them. We should file a case againset them for airing wrong information. A suitable case of defamation should be files against them. The rival channel should be given all the masala of what we are filing againat them.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing, we all need to do is, support our leaders. A think tank should be formed to prepare ourself for next line of action and be prepared for the worst case scenario.
Media has become a dirty business where in they may be asking for lots of fund to broadcast the grievances of suffering oil PSU employees .If we had the money as what was shown in media as our monthly pay obviously our point of view , actual pay ,Rao committee recommendation and government's proposal for pay revision would have come to public through this electronic media .The price raise ,commitment to family expenditure are increasing without any time limit but the pay revision is coming once in 10 years there too we have been beaten badly below the belt.
ReplyDeleteI think there were better ways to address the situation .We request the print and the electronic media with folded hands to publish the facts and please rectify the damage done to us
Please upload the discussion held in loksabha TV( Public forum).
ReplyDeleteRegards
The propaganda from media has maligned our image in the general public as well as seriously undermined our contribution for the nation. I strongly suggest that we should file a defamation lawsuit against the channels who have executed this conspiracy against us.
ReplyDeleteThis is true. Media is playing politics in coverage. The media now a days is not meant for the distributing correct news but it has now become time pass and TRP related assest. News channel reporters are enjoying all things in life money, power etc....
ReplyDeleteThey must be punished for distributing wrong info and making some one dignity as "DESH DROHI"
Infact they all are Desh Drohies who sells info .....
In mumbai 26/11 because of media coverage so many lifes we have lots everybody knows.
Our media should learn lesson from UK media whom work is still remembered for the work after attacks in UK
SHame on media peoples
Lok Sabha TV show being uploaded by tomorrow.. If anyone can get hold of Zee news that also should be sent for uploading as that would remind the world what Yellow Journalism is about!
ReplyDeletePlease request to all oil officer to surrender DishTV connection as protest.
ReplyDeletesandip
DEFAMATION CASE IS FIT FOR MEDIA. WE SHOULD FILE CASE IN SUPREME COURT AGAINST MEDIA.
ReplyDeleteOil PSU Strike – The Insiders Story
ReplyDeleteMeet the Oil Sector – One of the largest Sector fuelling the economy and earning Fortune 500 rankings in Gross Revenue generation, spreading continuously to overseas and bringing laurels to the country and the Government. Many Oil sector companies were awarded the “Navratna” title and a progressive culture was promoted across the organizational levels to keep up with this title. Due to this excellence in work culture and efficiency levels the marketing companies like IOC, BPC and GAIL could compete with private players in the de-regulated scenario when the nation moved towards free market economy, a move that was initiated by the ex- Finance Minister, Manmohan Singh. Similarly the Oil sector comprising of exploration companies have continued to find reserves to ensure Oil security for the nation. Companies like GAIL have laid the longest Oil and Gas pipelines to save Billions of dollars.
Meet the Oil Sector Officers – Meet the Oil sector Officer and you will find and IIMian, IITian and brilliant Engineers and MBAs working without the outer mask of being so highly qualified and minus the ego of being so qualified. An Earthquake at Gujarat, a Sunami at Andamans, disruption in supplies due to Terrorist action, everywhere, they are reaching on a moral and official duty without caring for their lives. At every juncture, they have provided services that no private player can provide. Meet any officer at supply location; sales, Administrative Executives and one can recognize the professionalism. Nowhere it seems that these Officers are typical Government Babus. And that is because they are called the gems of Government. An Officer works at Leh where even Oxygen is scarce but keeps running his LPG plant because he understands his responsibility towards the nation. And this Officer is called a terrorist because though he is ready to give his life for the country, he definitely wants that his children should also be able to afford a decent education and in the process resorted to two year long dialogue with Government for revision in wages. The Government keeps on neglecting the grievances but when they resort to the last option, it calls them traitors.
Meet the Oil Sector Association – Every Oil Company has a body of elected representatives who tries to bring the Officers grievances to the management and pays a role to achieve harmony between various levels due to the enormous workforce of Officers and consequently variety of grievances. No structured Grievance redressal system exists in any Oil sector company and consequently the issues are resolved at local level through Unit level representative, State level through ULR, highest level through CECs depending on the specific or general level of issue / grievance. This body has contributed a lot to the companies because they keep up the moral high due to their contribution in the various grievance redressal systems. Their members are the most dynamic people who interact with the managements at all levels for win win situations.
Meet the management – The management of these companies is in hands of the best brains of Oil Industry who have a vision of their own. They know the technicalities of business and can deal with the situations in the most efficient manner as they have grown up in this industry since inception. The Chairman and board of Directors are having an international image due to their expertise. On one hand they have to take orders from the government on the policy matters and on the other hand they have the role to keep the whole organization motivated, balanced and keep high efficiency levels.
Meet the incidents before strike – The chronology of incidents before strike:
Last Pay revision 1997 – Basic Salary at entry grade increased from Rs. 5000/ - to Rs. 12000/- but with the clause that next pay revision shall be ten years later. Next Pay Revision Due in 2007.
Justice M. J. Rao committee set up after pressures from various quarters. Committee submitted its report on 30.05.08.
Committee of Secretaries downgrades the Committee recommendations and ministry leading to effective rise of 17% finalizes the same. The same structure is to continue for the next ten years.
Meetings of OSOA continue with MOPNG, DPE and Department of Heavy Industries ending with assurances and even recommendations by MOPNG to DPE to look into the matter. Three rounds of negotiations, peaceful demonstrations are done by OSOA to avoid whatever best can be achieved through dialogue. Strike postponed on two occasions to find some other way.
CMDs of Oil companies, HR Directors present the scenario after wage revision to the ministers.
Efforts by leaders like CMDs and OSOA representatives continue to balance the issues and to address the genuine grievances of Oil Sector executives.
All CMDs and OSOA try in their right earnest to avoid the last resort but without the beaurocratic “YES” everything fails. No dialogue initiated by the ministry / Government on 06.01.09.
The strike starts 0n 07.01.09 at 06:00 hrs.
Meet the incidents during Strike – The strikers think that the strike shall be over in some hours as happened earlier as the Government shall call them for negotiation and address atl east the main demands.
First some hours are critical and everybody is on tenterhooks. OSOA leaders in a positive frame of mind get calls on the strike from various constituents and it is known that except HPC all the constituents have followed the strike call.
Instead of a call for negotiation, suspension and arrests were ordered on 07.01.09. OSOA was to meet Hon’ble MoP&NG at 7.00 PM but returned some way back as there was heavy force deployed and there was information of their imminent arrest. Even on 08.01.09 afternoon when the OSOA is almost on the verge of settlement with the management, police raided the Pipeline Head Office, Noida that has holding the meeting. The leaders are shelved by workers and despite the pre framed news of arrest of leaders on Television; the leaders are able to flee off thinking about the evil designs. The threat of carefully crafted moves by bureaucracy for arm-twisting is so high that the leaders keep on run changing places to avoid arrest. No progress could be made in a positive direction since the Government machinery is all there to make the pre conceived plans of arresting the people and thwarting all the efforts for resolution. Again on 08.01.09 midnight the Hon’ble Minister for MOPNG opens a dialogue and OSOA representatives looking into the immediate scenario put very small demands to make an exit from the strike and returning to work. The minister assures for taking the issues to GoM for resolution on 09.01.2008 for their approval and call back OSOA to finally settle things on morning. Unfortunately on 09.01.09 instead of resolutions, Govt. starts oppressive measures and starts apprehending officers at various locations. Executives are not hard-core personnel; hence pressure starts taking its toll ultimately leading to breaking of one constituent and leading to call off of strike by all constituents. The game plan of bureaucrats becomes successful and the machinery starts further measures to terrorize everybody to silence. The approach, which the nation shall see as final collapse of the Navratnas into ordinary inefficient PSUs. The Minister portrays in media a salary of Rs. 1.0 lac at entry level and the media goes to the extent of labeling the patriotic workers as terrorist.
Meeting the demands of Executives – The Basic salary at Entry Grade in Oil PSU is as low as Rs. 12000/- per month with a average take home of Rs. 25000/- which is even lesser when compared to small BPOs operating in the country employing just Graduates. Last Pay revision saw a 100% rise in basic. Present pay revision envisages a 17% rise after 10 years since last pay revision and envisaging same salary after further period of ten years. The Chief Manager level draws a salary of appx. Rs. 35,000/- to 40,000/- that is nothing when compared to atleast 15 years of service that he has put in. The executives were demanding better salaries.
Presently the increment per year is 4%, which has been followed for years but has been reduced to 3%. The executives were demanding the earlier rates of increment.
HRA reduced in line with the provisions relating to Central Govt. employees. Executives were demanding earlier rates.
Several other genuine issues were taken up by OSOA which were neither very difficult to implement nor involved very hefty package. OSOA could have been satisfied even if Justice M. J. Rao committee recommendations were adhered to in Toto, which studied the working life and conditions of the Oil PSU executives in detail.
Meet the decisions by Government – The Govt. after applying strong-arm tactics is still not satisfied and wants to crush the Oil sector executives to a level that the Association of Officers ceases to exist. Punitive action to the extent of termination of the President, General Secretary and Vice President have already been taken and further actions against all the officers of the association and executives is planned. Action against CMDs is also anticipated for their positive attitude in trying to make a platform for discussions and negotiations. For ministry it was a war against their own workforce and the war prisoners shall have to face the consequences.
Meet the affect of decisions – The decision will not only affect the existing workforce but will finally affect induction of bright youngsters. Please think who will join a company having a basic salary of Rs. 17500/- in 2017. Only ITI and lowest grade of Engineers shall join. Attrition is expected to become faster as already is. The morale of the existing work force shall be too low and shall lead to inefficiency and corruption similar to other central Government departments. Decision-making will become so slow that the Government will itself think of privatization. Slowly the Navratnas will come in the same category as that of non-performing PSUs.
Meet the vital Questions – (i) Is this salary as per the Pay revision sufficient to retain and induct bright IITians and Engineers. And it is sufficient to maintain a decent living. The Gross pay is liable for statutory deductions of IT, PF. Will the Oil PSU be able to attract talent at this pay scale after 10 years?
Level Basic Stagn. DA Gross Pay(Rs)
Entry Level E2 17500 2100 13485 33085
1st promotion E3 18700 2244 14409 35353
2nd promotion E4 20800 2496 16028 39324
3rd promotion E5 22300 2676 17183 42159
4th promotion E6 23900 2868 18416 45184
5th promotion E7 24750 2970 19071 46791
6th promotion E8 25600 3072 19726 48398
7th promotion E9 26500 3180 20420 50100
8th promotion E10 28550 3426 21999 53975
(ii) Do these Officers who have even laid their lives in Kargil and despite months of inaction by government responsible for all that has happened due to strike. That too when the MOPNG bureaucrats merely wanted to satisfy their egos and were out there only to crush them and not to negotiate? Would you label them as terrorist?
(iii) Will the Terminations, Suspensions, charge sheets and crushing the associations once and for all play a positive role in the process of improving working conditions and grievance redressal system? Does the govt. want to have Navratnas or they want to sell off these PSUs by ultimately reducing all working people to non-working inefficient babus?
(iv) Is there any third force playing the whole game which wants people to quit PSUs and join them?
Our politicians- Years together keep on bycotting parliament and exhibit cash in Parliament, When incidence like 26/11 happens, hurridly make laws like NSA and ESMA and MAKOKA but in absence of courage to use it against the befitted, use it againstthe oil officers, who fought the Kargil war with army,worked with army in Sunami and in absence of pVt oil cos supported the economy for 2 years.
ReplyDeleteBeaurocrats: Live like MAHARAJA on Oil PSUs money, don't take decisions for years and then start acting like Hitler. Now can Only request PM to interven or let few more PSU Die in anguish, pain and humliation. Now say Who is the terrorist in this country?
We must salute our leaders for their commitment and pressure they have sustained.
ReplyDeleteIt is very clear that media was managed by people having POWER.
It is the time to keep ourself cool and support our leaders.
I am surprise to see the action taken by a Govt. like British rulers. Police sent to houses of officers. One can imagine when the days of this Govt. are few they are doing this and if they come again in Power we will see another Emergency.
It is really a Shame that all the Technocrats have been treated in such a Shabby manner by a Gulliable Media which played perfect Company to our Bureaucrats who always have sinister design of being addressed as the superior of the lot inspite of thier inherent limitations....This malafied campaign by the media must be exposed by all of the PSU Officer community as today it is Oil sector & the day is not far off whereby similar treatment is meted out to every single honest-Taxpaying PSU-Employee... As to make it more Juicy we have to really scratch our head to rope in may be Shahrukh Khan/Aamir Khan/Mallika Sherawat to make these Self assumed-Know-all-kind of Media who have just lost track of the whole issue once thier Juicy cliipings-malafied News reports have been exhausted!!! May be time to Play- Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye Peer Parayi Jaane Jo......
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that the common man sufferred a lot due to the 3 day strike by oil PSU employees and should have been avoided by all costs. But there wasn't a single media channel which focussed on the actual reasons which precipitated into a strike by a well educated work force, mostly engineers, scientists, MBA's, CA's working in remote work places and hazardous industries like offshore and onshore oil, gas and power sectors.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite unsure whether the media is really aware of the fact that the oil sector employees work so hard and dedicatedly that the refinery capacities are often utilised more than 100% and the supply chain is so smoothly maintained that the public doesn''t get a feel of its shortage ever. Compare this with the utilisation of Power Plants and electricity supply. Bare facts which the media/govt. chose not to disclose was that the last pay revision of PSUs was done w.e.f. 01.01.97 for 10 years against earlier norm of 5 years. The Officers association have been pursuing with the Govt. for last 2.5 Years for a suitable rise commensurate with the level playing with Private Sector Oil Companies with whom they are competing. Govt. has been compelling them to postpone their agiatation. In the present dynamic and volatile economic situation, where the salaries of Pvt.. Sector employees are revised once or twice every year, does your conscience allow you to accept a pay scale fixed for 10 years?
Certain media channels have referred to these oil sector employees as "DESHDROHI" and "TERRORISTS". But who's the Terrorist ?
They have said that these executives have taken the country at ransom. On the contrary, we can say that its the Govt. that has taken the country as ransom ! Come to IOC, ONGC see how oil men toil in difficult situations and provide oil for the ecomonic growth. The pay revision was due in 2007. Still in 2009 the government has not done the revision... Who are these bureaucrats and politicians? Why are they hell bent on not doing it... What is the hidden agenda?. With arrival of global/private firms poaching on talent of PSUs, it is in the interest of Government to hike the salaries.. Still they don't want to do it . But why ?..... Is it they want to sell it cheaply ! Or they want people to leave so that these PSUs can be sold off ! Or are they having any nexus with these private firms !!! Further, the information that the salary of Oil PSU officer is in the range of 1-3 lakhs pm is highly misleading as the actual figures are in the range 20-30 thousand (Please go through the payslip of any executive). The prices of essential commodities has risen atleast 3-4 times in last 10 yrs So wasn't the demand a justified one that the Govt. has kept on hold for so many years ???
Is there not a single person in media who still lives by and dies by the truth. Hey Ram!
ReplyDeleteI am a PSU oil sector employee, having put more than 20 years of service, drawing a monthly take home pay of Rs.27000/-. Now a newly graduated engineer joins ina pvt firm and straight away starts drawing a pay of even Rs.80000/-
ReplyDeletewhen we demand a pay revision we are termed terrorists. the bureacrats who sit in AC and enjoying the luxury by spending our money (out of our toil and blood) had the opportunity to call us all as terrorists, fo which the entire media supported whole heartedly. I have serious doubts how many intelligent people are there in electronic media of India. close to nil, i suppose. It is a shame on the senior jounalists like Prannoy roy, Vinod Dua, etc who have not even bothered to once come out and try to find out teh facts. Keeping silence on seeing a crime committed is as good as committing a crime.
I along with all my colleagues stand behind our sacked leaders. We salute them for their courage and coviction.
If the burueacrats are given the freedom like this, one day they will show the nation the end of PSU era. Because by the time they will sell the PSUs,make enough money for their generations to come and retire happily.
Let the learned people, if any, call a discussion on the whole episode of oil sector strike, and get to the bottom of the truth.
What this media and the Govt was doing when strike notice was given ? We are more responsible citizens than the media, who have taken it upon themselves to prove that all oil sector officers are terrorists. Do the media have the guts to find out who forced us to strike the work and whose ego forced the strike to be prolonged?
It is better the truth is brought out early and put in front of the public otherwise Govt/ PSU employees will not have faith in your reporting. You people should better restrict yourself reporting the cases of Prince falling in pit, etc., etc, because reporting the strike of OIl sector officers really need lot of brains. How many TV reporters are more employed, more intelligent, more hard working than we oil sector officers ?
In sensitive reporting has created lot of anguish among us and our family members, friends.
The Govt also has created atleat 55000 demotivated officers, with one stroke. Many more demotivated officers in other sectors are in the making, if this attitude of the govt continues.
We people were the ones toiled day in and out during all national calamities. We have lost many of our officers , on duty, in the process.
Media does not inclination to report this, because this will not make any sensational stroy and give high TRP.
Thanks to Ms Anjali Singh for comment in The Times Of India, Dated 13.01.09.
ReplyDelete"Oil Workers Being Unfairly Criticised".
Please send mail to mytimesmyvoice@timesgroup.com
Had you ever heard of such an Oil strike ever earlier? Could you feel the critical the role of Oil sector in running the nation? We, the Oil PSU Officers work day and night and are a part of nation building society; we have and shall always strive for it. Oil PSUs have always stood by the Government and are contributing the highest revenue (more than 60% of total revenue resources of Central & State Governments and local bodies put together).
ReplyDeleteThe Government of India on its part had also always given due recognition and rewards to the Oil PSU Executives in the past. This has helped the Oil PSUs to attract and retain the best talent in the country. Oil PSUs today are having the best qualified and trained human resources at all levels in the organization. Oil companies recruit Engineers, CAs, MBAs from India's best institutes like IITs, Pilanis, BHUs, ICAIs, IIMs. The present compensation package of Oil Sector PSU executives is much below the prevailing salaries in the market place as a result of which there is a large scale exodus of trained and skilled Oil PSU executives to MNCs and Private Sector. .
The truth is that oil sector officers have not been given the deserving even after 12 yrs. Salary of an officer even for first four years does not cross 23000-25000( Basic- 13500 ). For a simple comparison, L&Ts market capitalisation is approx Rs 42K crore while ONGC's Rs 1.5Lac crore. But ONGCs Chairman's salary is Rs 1Lac/Month per month compared to L&T CEO Mr.AM Naik's Rs 70Lakh / month. This is the actual position, but it is projected that entry the level salary in Oil PSU is 1Lac .
Yes, the Oil PSU strike affected day-to-day activity, which is unfortunate. But, trust me, the officers were left with no other option, since earlier also after several past assurances by the government the results of which were disappointing. Such a strike is unprecedented. Kudos to OSOA leaders, and their families, especially Sh. Amit Kumar and other ONGC and IOCL officers who showed courage and faced / suspensions/arrests for the general cause of all Oil PSU officers.
The money required for our hike will be generated from our own revenues, not unlike Central Govt. employees recent hike wherein govt. bears the burden.
Sadly for our Nation,some media is picturing things wrongly,aiming only to increase their TRPs. The strike effect was hyped by Media causing panic among the people. They did not project our demands and our viewpoint at all. They were bent to create ill hatred against oil PSU officers in the minds of general public. News channels like these were responsible to kill our brave soldiers in Mumbai 29/11 attacks by showing the LIVE telecast of the operation.
I wish the suspended officers are taken back immediately and Govt. revises the pay as to what we really deserve. We work day and night for our companies and for the nation.
ASHU said...
ReplyDeleteWe need to Really plan out our forthcoming strategy & cahnnelise our anguish in coming out with something that has an impact on the Media & not by just venting out our frustration by Sharing the same Information that All of Our PSU brethren have already got hold of.. Isn't it True that the Housewives & Children of IOCL Colony at East have already held out a Media Briefing & Facts before the media along with our Salary Slip but the Media just doesn't airs them ? If at all it is True than this is the most blatant exhibition of holding the Whole Country to Ransom by Displaying & portraying only what the Media-Barons-who have been brought over-would transmit & only when it pleases them..... Where is the Question of Freedom of Press.... Presently it is the Freedom of Victimissation & blatant distortion of facts by the Press that is evident all around...... Time to rope in Aamir Khan to endorse our Salary Silps Guys!!!!
[sorry this comment was posted by Ashu on our test blog by mistake.]
Apart from rendering service to the nation Oil Sector PSUs are providing livelihood to ex-servicemen by giving them employment in installations and pipeline with best perks i.e. equivalent or more than daily wage payable at Delhi States. What a reward given by media ?
ReplyDeleteA indpendent channel, let it be from the soil of other nation becuase our media and politician will not allow it to function from here, for raising issue of unearthing curruption is need of the hour.
Laying the path of democratic principles in the nineteenth century itself, as the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln had sort of defined “Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people”. He had also said that “You can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but you can not fool all the people all the time”. From the reverse angle, championing other principles of government, Chairman Mao Tse Tung (now better known as Mao Zedong) is very often quoted to have proudly proclaimed “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend”. Today in the land of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, lately transformed to “Gandhigiri” where the motto itself of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd,’s pride “The Times of India” is “LET TRUTH PREVAIL” the hard reality is that we have brutal oppression of basic rights. How vain it all sounds where we shout hoarse as citizens of the world’s largest democracy. Is this the sovereign, democratic republic called India? Everything seems to be just pseudo. And its not British hegemony, plain and simple, our own fellow brethren are out to annihilate us – the media, politicians et al.
ReplyDeleteAt the sunset of my long career in India’s PSU oil industry, it only makes me remember that cover story in Aroon Poorie’s “India Today” a couple of years back after China’s great massacre of youth protesting at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square as “CHINA’s GREAT LEAP BACKWARD” consigning Chainman Mao’s sayings to nothingness. Are not the incidents, coverage and fallout of 09/01 in India not starkly similar?
Adages and great sayings apart, rise, everyone rise exactly like the proverbial Phoenix rising from ashes. Also, realize, understand, appreciate and then act. Let not the brute dictated brawn cow down realities, a brawn which, as tongues now freely wag to say, was laced with big money changing hands. Let the media communicate the real facts if they really have the guts and are fair and frank. I will not dwell to reiterate the factual financial status of the “DESDHOHIS” as much has been already communicated about all that, but as a conscientious Indian, it aggrieves me to pine for our media not to become pawns working under the diktat of some military junta.