Com G C Lala

IN FOND MEMORY OF A FINE COMRADE.

The whatsapp group of pensioner comrades conveys death of senior comrades almost regularly. The second phase of covid 19, commenced its journey in our country just at the time the world could develop vaccination to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.  Though India is considered the pharmacy of the world, the production was not even sufficient to cover the aged persons. Com. Lala, no doubt aged, was admitted to the hospital for covid treatment.  He was looked after well and was shifted from the ICU to the ward having shown response to the medication.  But even before a full day is passed he expired leaving his family in bereavement.

 

Com . G.C. Lala was the undisputed leader of the IT. Employees for quite a long period of time, especially for those working in Orissa charge.. Orissa was considered a  small charge and was tagged on with Bihar and North eastern region at one point of time for administrative purpose. The non gazetted employees had found this arrangement extremely irksome as they were likely to be transferred to distant unknown localities where interaction with the people was difficult because of the language barrier.  The difficulty to master the local language and the problems encountered in the new ambience compelled many of them even to decline the promotion which used to be very few and far between in those days.  The union activities or the trade union consciousness in 1960s amongst the employees of the I.T. department  was almost negligible especially in those parts of the country.  The association activities were worth the name only in those charges where large metro-cities were located, the exception being the North Eastern Region

 

Com. G.C  Lala though not belonging to Orissa State by birth took up the cudgels to strengthen the association  of the employees  there  as he felt that an administrative bifurcation of the charge would never become a reality without  a strong and militant movement.  Com. G.C. Lala was a born leader and had possessed all the qualities of a lovable leader.  The employees felt comfortable in his company  and they also found him to be a fearless leader capable of calling a spade a spade.  The authorities had found him difficult to deal with as he was not prone to provocation and was coolness personified.   He was a great organiser and was able to persuade people with his convincing arguments.  He was a close friend of com. K.N. Nayagam, who had taken over as the General  Secretary of ITEF in 1967.  He worked with him tirelessly to make possible his first mission a success.  i.e. to create an administrative unit for Orissa employees.  His efforts became fruitful and the success kindled the dire need of safeguarding the organisation they together built in Orissa.  Orissa, though small in size remained an active unit of ITEF ever since then, carrying out all its agitational programmes with cent per cent participation of its members.  He remained the General Secretary of Orissa Incometax employees Association for more than two decades.  

 

In 1973, Com. Lala undertook courageously the task of hosting the Central Working Committee of ITEF at Bhubaneswar.   Bhubaneswar, though the State Captial  and built as a planned city, did not have the infra structural facilities needed to host an all India event then.  Unexpectedly, the event faced serious dislocation and disruption due to the famous Loco running Staff Strike in the Railways.  The strike had disrupted the train movement throughout the country, the efforts of the Government to break the strike having failed miserably.  Quite a few units could not reach Bhubaneswar as the delegates for the meet were to travel in train.  The neighbouring State from where the President of ITEF hailed, West Bengal,  could not send its members to the meeting.  All long distance trains had  to be cancelled.   The prestigious Howrah-Chennai Mail traversed  between the two stations with  military escort as a symbol of the atrocious attitude of the Government towards the striking workers.  Naturally, Com. Lala was disappointed though he cleverly concealed his emotion from the pubic gaze.  It was the first all India meet this writer was able to attend.  Along with Com. Deshpande, the then General Secretary of the Karnataka Unit of ITEF, I had an unforgettable journey from Chennai (then called Madras) to Bhubaneswar  Our train which was bound to go to Howrah was cancelled at Waltair, now Vizagapattinam.  We took a passenger train from Waltair to Palassa, from Palassa to Khurda Road and from Khurda Road to Bhubaneswar.  Unlike today there had been  no  mobile telecommunication facility. The host unit was in dark as to when we would reach or we would reach at all.  We expected to spend long hours at Bhubaneswar Railway Station as the train was  to reach only late  in the night, as we had done at Waltair, Palassa and Khurda Road.  The pleasant surprise that awaited us at the Bhubaneswar Station was beyond words.  Com. Lala and his volunteer comrades had laid the carpet of the most pleasant welcome we might have ever received in our life.  We were taken to the Birla Guest House where the delegates are to be housed .

 

Coming from the city of Chennai, whose climate is characterised as hot, hotter and hottest spanned over the year in such degrees, the extreme could of Bhubaneswar at that point of the year was intolerable.  Out timidity prohibited us from expressing our anguish over the non availability of hot water for taking bath.   We  had no warm clothing and the mornings were too cold.  It was the periodical hot tea that came  to our rescue.  Sugary as it was, consumption beyond a point was also difficult.  Com. Lala sensed our discomfiture, made immediate arrangements for hot water, frequent cups of tea with less sugar and  warm clothing for both of us. The Bhubaneswar working Committee was  an unforgettable experience  which more than anything else brought to light the organising capabilities of com. G.C. Lala.  Most of the delegates had to stay for a few days more  after the meeting giving nightmarish difficulties to the host unit.  We had the tickets for the Howrah-Chennai mail but could not  board the train from Bhubaneswar.  Com. Lala’s help came in handy.  He advised us to board a passenger train to Palassa as the Mail is bound to stop at Palasa Station for a longer period  as the crew is likely to be changed there. We heeded to his well thought out advice and reached Chennai, though standing all  the way from Palassa to Chennai.  

 

Com. Lala made the best possible arrangements at Bhubaneswar.  Had it been any other venue, the working committee would have been automatically cancelled.  Not only the meeting was successfully conducted where the ITEF took the historic decision to be part of the indefinite strike of the Central Government employees and Railway men in 1974. Com. Lala was a well informed person, especially in the history, culture, civilisation, geography of our country.  He voluntarily under took the role of a guide for the journey through the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.  We were taken to  the battlefield of Ashok the great, where he renounced war and embraced Budhism,  the innumerable temples of Bhubaneswar, the ever shining examples of Indian temple architecture, the konark sun temple, the Puri Jagganath temple, the world famous Puri Beanch,  the modern institutions that were coming up in and around Bhubaneswar City and a ride  through the  proposed Beach Road etc.  Com. Lala was fond of travelling and had kept a catalogue of places, he must visit .  His knowledge of historical events  with accuracy of dates was always bewildering.  

 

The All India Conferences and Central Working Committee meetings in those days were turbulent.  Most of those meetings were day and night affair as the deliberations of the issue would cross over the time table set by many hours.  Com. Lala  had always been a trouble shooter in all those meetings and conferences.   His presentation and intervention had helped to resolve many ticklish issues.  

 

He rose to become an Asst. Commissioner in the official career, no mean achievement, for he entered the department as a stenographer    In those days the stenographers had the maximum waiting period for promotion as the stagnation was the highest in that cadre.  His knowledge and experience in official matters had made him a much sought after consultant in the official circle.  

 

After his retirement he was active in the movement of the Pensioners. But his constant ill health  ultimately compelled him to settle down at Ranchi, seldom moving out of that  town.  

 

ITEF for its present stature owes a great deal to the comrades like G.C. Lala.  He is remembered for his ability to find amicable solution to the problems,  be it organisational or career advancement. He had been active throughout his official career. In his death the ITEF has lost an able organiser, a fine friend and a great person.  This writer remembers innumerable occasions when his sanguine advice had paved the way for resolution.  The fond memories of Com.Lala will linger on for ever.  The ITEF conveys their heartfelt condolences to all his family members, whose bereavement over his death is bound to be deep.  The ITEF dips its flag in his memory.  

 

K.K.N. Kutty,

Former Secretary General, ITEF.