The Centre has de-recognised the All India Postal Employees Union (AIPEU) and the National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) for their alleged involvement in the farmers’ protests and for making political contributions to organizations like CPI(M) and CITU. The decision was made by the Union Ministry of Communications based on the Central Civil Services (Recognition of Service Association) Rules, 1993.
The NFPE is the largest federation in the sector, with eight postal employee unions affiliated with it, including the AIPEU, which is one of the oldest unions in India. The decision is being challenged organizationally by the NFPE’s assistant general secretary, P.K. Muraleedharan. He said that the organization would challenge the decision as it has the support of employees from all ideological streams and has a history of agitating against British rule. Muraleedharan added that the attempt to cancel recognition was aimed at ending all trade union activities in the sector.
The order of de-recognition, signed by Nahar Singh Meena, Assistant Director-General of Department of Posts, said allegations of “funding a political party” were levelled against the NFPE and AIPEU for supporting the farmer’s agitation. It added that various amounts were paid to CPI(M), CITU and farmers’ solidarity funds through online transfer and cheque payments from AIPEU account. The amount in question is ₹30,000 to help farmers’ movement, ₹4,935 to CPI(M) and ₹50,000 to CITU. The NFPE said in its reply that donation was made to the Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers to provide help to the farmers’ movement, and NFPE contributes to the fund each year.
On donation to CPI(M), the reply was that it was the cost of some books purchased from the CPI(M) headquarters, which has a book shop. However, the order said: “The association has not provided any evidence in this regard… how a personal transaction can be made from the account of association.” The BPEA, affiliated to the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) of the RSS, welcomed the decision and said that every facility offered to both NFPE and AIPEU should be withdrawn immediately. The BPEA asked the authorities to stop all activities of both the NFPE and AIPEU.