THE All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) issued a notice to the DoT and the BSNL management, for observing a ‘black day’ on October 1, 2020, which happens to be the 20th foundation day of BSNL. Instead of celebrating the 20th foundation day, the employees of BSNL have decided to observe it as a black day. This decision was taken, since the future of BSNL and its employees are getting darker by the passage of every single day.

It is already six months, since BSNL's  4G tender has been cancelled, on the plea that its conditions had violated government's “make in India” policy. However, still, the government is unable to tell, which Indian manufacturer has developed the 4G technology and is capable of providing ‘end to end’ solution to BSNL’s 4G requirements. It clearly shows that there is no indigenous manufacturer who can fulfil the requirements of BSNL, so far as 4G technology is concerned.

When this being the reality, why did the government show extraordinary haste to cancel BSNL’s tender? Certainly, it smells a rat. The AUAB has no hesitation to state that, the lodging of the complaint by the so-called TEPC itself is stage-managed, with the ulterior motive to scuttle BSNL’s launching of 4G service.

When Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea are installing world-class telecom equipment, procured from multinational vendors, why BSNL alone should be told to go on test the unproven equipment of some domestic vendor? Is it not well thought of a plan to kill BSNL, which is already four years behind the private telecom companies in adopting 4G technology and is struggling to keep afloat?

It is a great tragedy that, at a time when the private telecom companies are getting ready to launch their 5G service, the launching of 4G service by BSNL still remains a distant dream. The AUAB has no doubt that, this scenario is the outcome of a well thought out conspiracy to convert BSNL into a sick PSU and to ultimately eliminate it from the telecom industry. Hence, the AUAB has decided to observe ‘black day’ on October 1st, so as to attract the attention of the people of this country. The AUAB will be organising hunger strikes throughout the country. The entire employees will wear black-badges and will en masse participate in lunch hour demonstrations.