The speech of one Ananthkumar Hegde abusing the BSNL staff and calling them Desh-drohis is viral in media now. News of all virus are viral. “Anathkumar” is a name so dear to our hearts. Not this Ananthakumar. Hence I do not like to mention Ananthkumar in following lines. This new avtar is a special Desh-premi, notorious for making unwanted controversial statements. Creating controversy is an ugly game by some dirty politicians. Such people spill out filth often. This Desh-Premi was a minister of state earlier, for skill development. May be for his great skill, Shri Modiji did not give the berth again to him. Minister of Stage can utter any nonsense.

According to the information available in internet, while contesting for lok sabha elections last time, this deshpremi filed papers showing the assets of his family as about Rs 17 crores. A senior officer in BSNL cannot become crorepati like this deshpremi. Ordinary ‘Desh-Drohis’ in BSNL cannot dream of Rs. One Crore. Forget it. There are many such deshpremis in Indian politics.

Few days back a natural disaster took place in a remote village near Munnar, in Kerala. About 80 people with their houses were washed away. Outside world did not know of the incident because the BSNL network was damaged. There was no JIo in that place. There was no Airtel or Vodaphone either. Only BSNL of deshdrohis was there in remote village. BSNL was asked to restore the telecom service immediately. Most of the deshdrohis were sent out of BSNL under VRS; only few were there in service. Those few started. They could not proceed because a bridge on the way was washed away. They proceeded through the forest in a vehicle provided by forest department. That was possible to some distance. Then the deshdrohis walked all the way through the forest carrying a generator. They restored the telecom mobile network by 4 PM.

It is the latest one only. Deshdrohi BSNL workers did it in Orissa, in Chennai, in Tamilnadu, in Andhra, in Uttranchal, at Latur and in many areas affected by Tsunami in 2004. In Orissa the deshdrohis worked day and night without taking food, without even drinking water while standing in flood water up to their neck level.

Telecom system constructed in 30 years were damaged by cyclone in three hours. Deshdrohi workers reconstructed it and restored the service within three days. Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad, the minister for communication repeatedly appreciated it. You cannot expect if from Deshpremi Hegdes.

Deshpremi is abusing Unions. He has no skill to understand that 10-15 years ago, when the unions were much stronger, BSNL earned profit of Rs. 10000 crores per year. The countrywide telecom infrastructure was developed and established in India, in the remotest hamlets even, by these deshdrohis. This Deshpremi declares that more people will be sent out. Then, if another cyclone or landslide takes place who will be there to restore the telecom service? JIO? AIRTEL? VODAPHONE? Will this Deshpremi has the vertebra to stand erect and ask Ambanis to restore the communication system?

The Telecom staff unions in Karnataka should jointly react. The Workers - the Deshdrohis - will react when they get chance after three years- be it in Uthara Kannada or any other place.

I want to tell this Deshpremi that we the retired Deshdrohis of BSNL have donated Rs 104 lakhs to the Distress Relief Funds of Chief Ministers and the Prime Minister.

P Gangadhara Rao General Secretary