Red salutes to the Martyrs.

52 years ago, on 19^th September, 1968, 40 lakh Central Government Employees, went on a heroic one day strike, demanding need based minimum wage, full neutralisation for price rise, abolition of casual and contract labour system and on other demands. The participants in the strike included Railwaymen, Defence workers, P&T workers, etc. The strike was a roaring success throughout the country. However, the Central government headed by Smt. Indira Gandhi, unleashed a reign of terror to defeat the strike.  ESMO (Essential Services Maintenance Ordinance) was promulgated to crush the strike. 17 workers were killed at Pathankot, Bikaner, Bongaigaon, Mariani and Indraprasth in Delhi. 12,000 leaders and workers were arrested. 65,000 employees were served with termination notices. 40,000 employees were placed under suspension. Police firing, lathi charge, arrests, terminations and suspensions were heaped on the strikers. The workers who picketed trains were crushed to death, by running the trains over them. However, it is significant to note that, the Communist Party ruled Kerala state, headed by Com.E.M.S. Namboodiripad, refused to take any action against the strike. He refused to implement the ESMO, even when the Central Government threatened to dismiss the Kerala state government. On this day we pay red salutes to the comrades who became martyrs in that strike. We also gratefully remember the sacrifices made by other comrades in that heroic strike. It was a strike against exploitation. BSNLEU pledges to carry forward that struggle.