2nd day of Dharna a greater success even than the 1st day

Dear friends and comrades,

Photos of Dharna on the second day from various parts of the Country have been given above.  Photos from some more centers are yet to be received.  They will be uploaded on receipt.

Though we had slight apprehension that the turn out for the second day Dharna may be lesser than for the first day due to fatigue, etc, it turned out to be otherwise, almost everywhere.  More number of persons participated in the second day, today.  The pent up feeling of the cadre was very much evident.

There has been a wide media coverage in many of the centers.

It is reported that in many of the centers, on the second day, even retired Officers and former Office Bearers who had retired from service had come to the Dharna venue and announced their moral support for the agitations.

The DOPT, instead of trying to sort out the issues raised, has called for reports from the field formations regarding the number and details of members who participated in the Strike/Dharna.  They have called for particulars of those who were on leave/absent on the two days. They have obviously not gone through the Charter of Demands.  Because they say the points should be settled in the JCM.  They are innocent of the fact that one of the demands (10 (a)) is regarding non functioning of the said facility itself.

All Unit Office bearers will have to ensure that there is no under reporting or misreporting, when the Board calls for such details.  Because, the correct statistics itself will prove that we have the membership strength, which they have not been able to 'finalise' in the past more than 1 year.

The Principal Chief Commissioner of Nagpur, Shri. A.K.Pandey who is expected to be elevated as Member, had called on our members sitting on Dharna at Nagpur and discussed with them on the demands, for almost 1/2 hour.

It had given a feeling to the members there that there was an effort to know the grievances at the ground level.

On behalf of the AIACEGEO, I place on record our sincere appreciation to all Office Bearers at All India Level as well as at the Unit level, their Executive Committee Members and general members for the huge success of the two day programme.  It has been a very short notice and sitting on 2 day Dharna after applying for leave is more difficult than even going on strike in the sense that the members have to sit on Dharna for two continuous days.

Yet, the units have made it.

Congratulations once again.

Long live the spirit.

fraternally yours,
R. Manimohan,
Secretary General.

WHAT THE DHARNA BY SUPDTS MEANS

Our letter to the Chairman CBIC today (9.1.19) morning.

To
Shri. Pranab Kumar Das,
Chairman, CBIC.

Respected sir,

There has been a two day strike going on all over India yesterday and today.

But in no department any where in the country, other than in CBIC, gazetted officers are sitting on Dharna that too for two days. That too only on the GST / Central Excise side.

The pain and anguish in the heart of this most neglected cadre against the disregard to their service conditions even after depending on them for the core functions is pouring out in the open now.

It is hoped that the Board would engage with their true representatives as per RSA Rules, (which has been scuttled by vested interests for the past more than a year) and try to find methods to end the reasons for their feeling of neglect and discrimination, instead of threatening action against them.

We hope we will get some positive message before the end of this day.

Thanking you,
Yours truly,
R. Manimohan,
Secretary General,

All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers

Day 1 of Dharna a huge success all over the country

Dear friends and comrades,

The first day of the Dharna programme has been a huge success all over India except in pockets like Hyderabad, Delhi and Bihar, where units exist.

From Jammu to Tuticorin and from West Bengal to Mumbai, the turn out for the Dharna has been tremendous.  In major cities like Mumbai (in multiple centers), Kolkatta, Bangalore, Belgaum, Pune and Chennai, massive Dharna has been conducted.

Other places like Chandigargh, Bhubaneswar, Nashik, Goa, Bhopal, Nagpur, Coimbatore, Tuticorin, etc also there was tremendous participation.  In Kerala, due to harthal all over Kerala, though members had applied for Casual Leave, they could not reach the Dharna points.  However participation in the form of Casual leave was near total.  Similarly in Salem, Madurai, etc also participation by way of Casual Leave was near total.

More reports are pouring in for the day.

Some select photos received are given above.

In many centers there have been wide media coverage.

Tomorrow's programme also is expected to be a great success, with more members likely to join.
Wishing all members and Office Bearers all the very best for tomorrow's programme also.

fraternally yours,
R. Manimohan