11th December 2023 is the 49th death anniversary of Com. Krishna Gopal Basu ( K. G. Bose ), who gave a correct ideological as well as practical direction to the P& T Trade Union movement.
He led many historical struggles including the 1946 P&T Strike, 1960 Indefinite Strike, 1968 One Day Token Strike etc. He was Circle Secretary of both Postal class III Union as well as Telecom Class III Union for a long time. He was elected as President of NFPTE in 1970 and continued as such till his death in 1974 in a London Hospital.
My acquaintance and comradeship go back to the first half of 1960s during the All India Conferences of Telecom Class III Union affiliated to NFPTE and strengthened in the AIC at Trivandrum in 1964, when he took up the issue of Rule 14 charge sheets issued for 7 of us ( including me ) for having gone on undeclared strike on a local issue at Cannanore with Member Telecom and settled the same on the spot. However I was punished by a transfer to Calicut as a face saving measure.
Since then, till his death we were in regular communication and was part of the progressive section of the P & T Movement. He visited Calicut twice on our invitation and addressed many meetings.
Com. K. G. was arrested and dismissed from service in connection with the proposed P & T strike of 1949, which did not take place as almost all important leaders were arrested and jailed even before the strike decision was taken in the proposed All India Convention. Though dismissed KG continued to lead the movement.
He was elected as M L A of W. Bengal Assembly as also as a Member of the Pay Commission for W. Bengal employees and did a great job for the same.
His hard work without rest deterioted his health and was sent to Englad for expert treatment where he passed away on 11th December 1974 at the comparatively young age of 54.
Com. K. G.s' family, including his wife Com. Parul Bose, brother Com. Moni Bose, his wife Com. Jyotsna Bose were all leaders of the workers' movement and gave their contributions to the working class. The new generation of the family keep up the great tradition.
Central and P&T employees and the working class of India will ever remember the great contributions of Com. KG.
Red Salute to Com. K. G. Bose!
( The photos are (1) His last speech at a State Conference of teachers associatiin at Calcutta on 9th August 1974 (2) Welcoming Com K. G. at Caliut Ralilway Station followed with a procession on 23rd April 1973 when he visited Calicut for the last time. Coms. K. Bhaskaran Nair and Com. V. A. N. Namboodiri can be seen on either side. )
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