All India United Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has termed Defence Minister A K Antony’s statement on Brahmos as misleading.
In a statement here, AITUC vice-president D Sundareshan said while an organisation could claim PSU status only when 51 per cent shares are owned by the government, setting up of an industry with 50:50 share and giving all powers to the private entrepreneur and a group of officials was a challenge to the existing system.
He alleged that KELTEC, a public sector company set up using public money, was handed over to Brahmos Pvt Ltd under the guise giving it over to a Defence establishment. Now, the people and employees have realised that the earlier claim of investing Rs 1000 crore and production of the missile in 3 years was just a dishonest statement. He also said Antony’s claim that he had come as a saviour of KELTEC which was reeling under severe loss, was unbecoming of his stature as Defence minister.
Following the handing over of the company, employees were forced to continue on contract basis and they were all denied their legitimate rights.
The people and employees were under the impression that the company was being taken over by DRDO. But what followed was the cheating of the employees by handing over the company to a private company.
He said AITUC had submitted a memorandum to the then Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on December 5, 2007, stating about the mysterious nature of the handing over. The then Industries Minister Elamaram’s undue interest also had been pointed out.
Sundareshan pointed out that the CITU union was silent about the violation of labour rights while all other unions had raised their protest.
He alleged that it was to create a division among trade unions that Antony congratulated Kareem for his contributions.
Sundareshan said if Antony had any sincerity in his statement the government should acquire more shares in the company and bring it under DRDO and implement service conditions existing for central government employees.