The Employee Returns to Centre Stage, OPS Demand Puts Govt. On Notice

The issue of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees is fast showing the potential to become a major poll narrative at the national level, ahead of the Lok Sabha poll scheduled early next year as well as the Assembly polls scheduled to be held in five states. This can become a major electoral headache for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

An indication towards this unfolding phenomenon was on display at the Ramlila Maidan in the National Capital on Sunday. A massive “Pension Shankhnaad” rally was organised under the banner of National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS).

The huge number of protestors present at the venue got the support of farmers and some other sections of society. The rally is a pointer to a couple of important factors. The first is the return of employee politics to the centre of the poll narrative.

The employees have proven wrong those who have been peddling the narrative that trade unionism does not have any relevance in the neo liberal set up that India has adopted since 1991. However, the increasing social insecurity, job losses, contractual mode of employment, loss of social security benefits has compelled people to critically examine the neo liberal model of economy.

This has been particularly critical after the economic crisis emerging from the Covid lockdown. The cascading impact of demonetisation on the unorganised economy is another factor that is being pointed at by the observers.

The OPS demand has the potential to impact the poll outcomes. The biggest example of this was the results delivered by the hill state of Himachal Pradesh where the Congress returned to power in the Assembly polls less than a year ago.

It needs to be underlined that the OPS was the biggest factor contributing towards its victory. As expected the embedded media underplayed the Himachal Pradesh results that coincided with the Gujarat Assembly polls.

“After Himachal Pradesh, the governments of the Congress ruled Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan announced reverting to the OPS. The Punjab cabinet also took a decision in this direction some months ago while Sikkim and Telangana are also moving in this direction. It is plainly an issue of social security which is the right of the employees,” explained Vijay Kumar Bandhu, the NMOPS president.

“Organisations and parties outside the ambit of the BJP have extended support to us. If our demands are not met soon we will be announcing a ‘Vote Pe Chot’ campaign that would carry the single line message of ‘Vote For Pension’,” Bandhu told The Citizen after the Sunday’s rally.

The question being put to the ruling dispensation is that if five states can revert to the OPS what is stopping the government in doing so in the other parts of the country. The employees and others that were galvanised for the Delhi event were told that the New Pension Scheme (NPS) that actually pays a miniscule percentage of what he or she would get under the OPS, coupled with privatisation, is a major conspiracy of the rich against the poor and the middle classes.

Another issue being raised was that while the employees have been pushed into getting a paltry amount under the NPS, the elected representatives continue to get a comparatively massive payment through multiple pensions. The NPS is being termed as an ‘insult to the self esteem’ of the employees as they are getting a remuneration of sums like Rs 1200, Rs 1800 and Rs 2600 for teachers and employees.

“We are going to shake every set up, right up to the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office). We are ready to sweat it out to churn the Amrit (nectar) of OPS,” Bandhu said in his address, as the ground reverberated with the chants of ‘OPS…OPS’.

“We had given a call to bring back the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and we had successfully brought back the OPS in several states with our struggle. Our team believed that if the Central government ratifies this (OPS), then the onus won’t be on the state government. This is why we had come to Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan (to protest),” Bandhu later said in an interview to a news agency PTI.

The NMOPS’ vice president Sukhjeet Singh in his address at the event said, “Only that party will rule the country which brings back the OPS.” He was critical of both the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for their stand on the issue claiming that the AAP government in Punjab under Bhagwant Mann has been misleading the employees by passing resolutions on the OPS more than once and then going back on its work and referring the issue to a committee.

“We are issuing a warning from here both to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal (whom he referred to as Chhota Modi) that if they continue with their present stand, there will be a regime change on the lines of Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka,” Singh added.

He also appealed to all those present not to vote for any party that offers false guarantees and promises on the issue of OPS in the forthcoming Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram.

The employees who had come from across the country were seen donning OPS caps at the rally venue. Later Congress leader K.C. Venugopal extended his party’s support to the agitating employees. In a tweet he said, “These OPS protests show the anger of our steel frame, the government officers, against the ruling regime. We implemented OPS in Congress-ruled states because it is their right. This crowd of 20 lakh people tells a story - the BJP’s days are numbered.”

While expressing solidarity with the protestors, CPIML general secretary Dipankar said, "Just like the three farm laws, Modi government wants to hand over people's resources and money to the corporates of the country. This Modi-led corporate loot of the country needs to be stopped at all costs."

The rally also got support from farmer leaders. Senior leaders including Rakesh Tikait from western Uttar Pradesh, and Joginder Singh Ugrahan were present at the venue. These two along with others were a part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) that had led a successful unprecedented farmers’ movement compelling the central government to withdraw the three controversial farm laws.

Later in a tweet, Tikait said, “Took part in the public meeting organised at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi demanding restoration of old pension and addressed the gathering. The farmer community of the country will stand shoulder to shoulder with you in this fight and will work to fight it strongly.”

It remains to be seen how the BJP responds to this challenge coming from the government employees who form a major chunk of voters in many states across the country.