NFIR and its affiliated zonal units including WRMS organized ‘Rail Bachao Sangoshthi’ and protest against privatization of Railways

On call of National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (INTUC/ITF) all Zonal Unions of NFIR including Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh (WRMS) organized “Rail Bachqo Sangoshthi” to lodge protest against heavy outsourcing, privatization, selling railways’ national assets including Railway colonies in all divisions of Indian Railways.

Corporatization of Production Units of Indian Railways like Raibareli Modern Coach Factory, Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, Diesel Locomotive Works, Varavasi, Diesel Loco Modernization Works, Patiyala, Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, Rail Wheel Factory, Bangalore etc.

This Rail Bachao Sanghoshti is necessary for NFIR and railwaymen because at all costs, unions would like to protect this kind of attitude taken by the Government.

In this connection, it is further brought out that important topics of Rail Bachao Sanghoshti was Railway’s Performance, Role of Rail Workforce, Railway Ministry’s policies, Capital Investment and result thereon financial health of Railways.

On the earning side, the sanghoshti deeply looked into the Railway Ticket Fares in comparison with Bus Fares and the losses being incurred by the Indian Railways per annum in the context of report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) because the NFIR has been prima-faciely opining that the Railways has been incurring losses to the tune of 35,000 crore every year on account of coaching services being provided below the operational cost while the Railway Ministry has been indifferent on this vital matter.

Rail Bachao Sanghoshti also discussed on the many different subjects like Organizational Reforms, Cost-cutting/Expenditure control, Productivity Enhancement, Customer Orientation and Create fear-free environment. Protect officers and employees from unwanted vigilance cases for trivial/technical lapses.

General Secretary of WRMS and Vice President of NFIR Dada J. G. Mahurkar said that the Railway Ministry had organized ‘Parivartan Sanghoshti’ on 7th and 8th December 2019 in association with officers in which the Recognized Federations NFIR/AIRF were not invited and lot of anti-labour and anti-union subjects were discussed.

He said, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had invited the General Secretary – NFIR Dr M. Raghavaiah in his chamber on 30.12.2019 because NFIR walked out from Joint Consultative Machinery (Departmental Council) Meeting on 27.12.2019 in protest against the proceedings of ‘Parivartan Sanghoshti’ held by Railway Ministry with officers on 7th and 8th December 2019 and ignoring the recognized federations.

As a result of this, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal understood the deep resentment of NFIR and now he hold a meeting in Rail Bhavan with delegates of NFIR and AIRF on 16th January 2020 to sort out the issues.

Dada J. G. Mahurkar, General Secretary, Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh & Vice-President, National Federation of Indian Railwaymen has organized ‘Rail Bachao Sanghoshti’ from 08th to 10th January – 2020 on all 6 Divisions of Western Railway. Accordingly on Mumbai Division a Rally, Demonstrations, Open Meetings were organized as under:-

On 8th January 2020 – At Lower Parel Workshop at 11.00 AM.

On 9th January 2020 – At Churchgate General Manager’s Office at 12.30 PM.

On 10th January 2020 – At Mumbai Central in front of Divisional Railway Manager’s office, Mumbai Central at 12.30 PM.

‘Rail Bachao Sangoshthi’ was attended by nearly 600 to 700 employees in Lower Parel Workshop. Dada Mahurkar highlighted the way of privatization, corporatization and nigamikaran done by the Railway Ministry and Government.

This Rail Bachao Sangoshthi” has been organized by Dr. M. Raghavaiah, General Secretary National Federation of Indian Railwaymen and staff side leader of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM National Council) on entire Indian Railway from 08/01/2020 to 10/01/2020.

“We have organized Rallies and protest of Railwaymen at Churchgate on 09/01/20 at 11.30 AM and on 10/01/20 a big rally and Open Meeting has taken place in front of Divisional Railway Manager’s Office at Mumbai Central”, said Dada Mahurkar.

“Rail Bachao – Desh Bachao” Sangoshthi organized by the CRMS

Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS) also organized ‘Rail Bachao Desh Bachao Sangoshthi’ at CSMT Auditorium. About 5 to 6 hundred Railway employees attended this sangoshthi from all divisions of Central Railway.

President Dr. R. P. Bhatnagar, Working-president A. K. Changrani, vice-president Amit Bhatnagar, General Secretary Praveen Bajpai, JGS Anil Raut, DS/BSL V. K. Samadhia, Anil Mahendru, Anuradha Ursal, TU-JAC coordinator Vishwas Udagi, INTUC Maharashtra president Jaiprakash Chhajed, INTUC Uday Chowdhary, AIROBCEA president Anil Yadav, GS Ahvesh Yadav. GS RKS Diwakar Dev, WP Sanjay Joshi, JGS Narendra Shinde etc were present on this occasion.