New Delhi, April 20 (Inditop.com) Over three lakh employees and executives of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) Tuesday went on an indefinite strike protesting against the government’s plan for divestment in the telecom service provider, a union official said.
“The strike began at 6 a.m. at all BSNL offices in the country. In Delhi, it started around 10. We will not give up our agitation till the government agrees to our demand,” said V.A.N. Namboodiri, convenor of the joint action committee of BSNL associations and unions.
The employees unions are against the BSNL management’s decision to accept the Sam Pitroda committee report which has recommended a 30 percent divestment in the company and voluntary retirement for 100,000 employees.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had set up the Pitroda panel with HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh and Telecom Secretary P.J. Thomas as members to review the functioning of the company and suggest ways to improve its financial health.
The unions have also demanded to regularise 1,500 Indian Telecom Services (ITS) officers in the company who have been on deputation for the last 10 years. They feel this will make them accountable.
BSNL operates telecom services across the country other than Delhi and Mumbai, where state-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) offers the services.
