The existential crisis for the department

Dear Comrades and friends,

Wishing you all a very happy Diwali – the day of light, bright and colourful.  May the light lead us to better days ahead.

Within our department, we face an existential crisis.  If it has not been noticed, then this is the moment to grasp it.

The former leadership sat over the signals, repeatedly highlighted by persons like Com. Pyne and Com. Mouli that the GST was going to be a huge avalanche for the department and that we as an organisation had to be prepared for it.  It fell on deaf ears, until the DR IRS Association got involved.

Even then, in spite of almost the entire body present in the Preconvention meeting at Delhi preferring to proceed on our charter, under our own flag, it was compromised and we saw our leader go along with DR IRS and Appraisers, whose interests have never been in unison with ours, through out the history of the department.

Now, the ‘ring fencing of Customs’, ‘liquidation of legacy issues in a jiffy’, ‘disposal of adjudication matters, investigations and even appeals of legacy issues in a hurry’, etc are strong signals that there is a great movement below the earth, awaiting this department.

At this juncture, there are rumour mills already agog that the Board is mulling a proposal to create some JC posts by surrendering more than thrice the number of Temporary posts of ACs, at the time of proposing for extension of the temporary posts, as recommended by the Stagnation Committee.  To whose benefit such a proposal would work is anybody’s guess. We are yet to get any confirmation on the above from the Board, however.  The delay in holding of DPC for the temporary posts of ACs could very will be a reason in that direction.

 In the meanwhile, the distraction attempted by our former SG gives a strong signal that there could be some truth in the above said rumour.  He suddenly, again, tries to talk up for the entire Inspector born community – something he refused to do when he was the SG of this Association, legitimately (?) At that time, he would not like to sit and discuss with lesser mortals.  He found company only with the DR IRS and Appraisers – that elite club.  Now that he talks about the necessity of all to come together, it clearly shows that there is a reading at the level of the DR IRS also, that there is disturbance expected, round the corner and perhaps they would be more than interested in our gaze not getting stuck on the creation of those JC posts. For that reason, he harps on comparison of our cadres with the SGST in terms of hierarchy.  This is not after all a new development.  We have already factored in this issue in the demand made by the JAC of Inspector base Associations.  But the highlight is the attempt to shift focus.

Almost all the functional units have declared support to this body.  Only one or two have sought time for a formal decision to be taken after this Diwali.  Once they also decide, the only region with a legitimate, elected body and functional unit supporting the former SG would be AP and Telengana.  I have deliberately avoided making any formal request to them to reconsider their stand, only because the President of that faction hails from there and therefore I did not want to embarrass them.  We also do not want to behave in the mean fashion as our former SG has been behaving in creating crisis within units, dividing the membership, sending letters to their local administration to undermine legitimately elected bodies, etc.

But, if the existential crisis that is going to face us within a few months from now on is to be faced squarely, we require to be united and have to work out our own plans - not believe those who want to tail those who proclaimed, ‘we are capable of looking after ourselves’.

Hence, we are required to urgently mobilise our cadre. 

Regular meetings at regional levels is required.  Messaging over WhatsApp, facebook and email does not serve to mobilise the membership.  Meetings with members at various levels, is a must.  Unit office bearers and AIB office bearers will have to get prepared to start moving.

Most of the units have got up from their slumber and are becoming active. 

There is thus hope, this Diwali.

R. Manimohan

SG, AIACEGEO