Open Letter to Sanjay Goel

Amit Kumar

Dear Sanjay,

I am writing this letter in response to certain statements made by you during the General Body Meeting (GBM) that were addressed by you at Delhi on 8th August, 2007.

First and foremost I have not opposed the methodology that you have followed to organize such GBM, though the system that you have been following is of course questionable and against the past practice. But then you are better judge in the way you conduct yourself as the leader of the officer’s community of ONGC. Of course it is against the traditions to hold GBM without the consent of the local body. However, we had not opposed earlier neither we opposed this time. The leader has to have mutual respect for each other and that is why I have maintained this stance and shall continue to do so in future. However, if any member asks me I shall very clearly advice not to attend such meetings till called in proper manner.

Normally, as a leader of ASTO, Delhi unit, I would not have responded to what you or your colleagues must have said but I am constrained to clarify my position as I am answerable to the people as the people’s representative.

Somewhere in the meeting you have pointed out that you have talked/written to me regarding finishing the internal differences of ASTO and you are open for discussions. I don’t remember any such discussion or any proposal from your side. In fact once long time back I had met you along with Mr. S.K. Chaturvedi – President, ASTO-Ahmedabad and we had requested you to restore the CWC which you had flatly refused and had said that come without Sh. Mirchandani and Sh. Pillai. We had gone back seeing your rigid attitude. After that we have hardly ever met nor had you given any invitation. Till date we have not received any letter from you, only rebuke and indictment.

During this period you took the unconstitutional step of expelling Mr. Mirchandani from ASTO and gave a notice of expulsion to Sh. C.R. Das. Probably under the influence of scenic beauty of Mahabalipuram (venue for your CWC meeting on 11th August, 2007) you may take further steps.

Even the call for direct action program was not discussed with any of us. Sadly we have till date not received the signed copy of the notice that you must have served on the management. Further, on 7th August, 2007 you made a phone call to me, I was busy in a meeting and I requested that I shall call later. But before I could call you we got a notice from Sh. Vijay Prakash in the capacity of nominated CWC member for holding GBM at Delhi. So there was nothing left for me to respond.

Further, during the meeting on 1st of August, 2007 at Mumbai under the convenorship of Sh. C.R. Das, Sh. Rajan Pillai – General Secretary, ASTO-CWC of Ist year shared the discussion with all of us that he had with you on phone few days back regarding the deteriorating situation of ASTO. He shared that he advised you that four/five of us can come and discuss the issue with your team and resolve the internal differences. However, you had put a condition that the discussion can take place but without Amit Kumar, C.R. Das and S.K. Chaturvedi. Pillaiji is a much senior leader than you and me. Also he is a veteran and a man of principles. So your stances in the public are actually very different from the internal destabilization process that you are carrying on. Till date I don’t think I have done any thing personally to you. However, on principles we have opposed your style of working and your political thinking. And healthy opposition should be welcome instead of trying to crush it with the help of management.

The ASTO Delhi unit never takes the credit for achievements, though we struggle and pray for the resolution of the issues. The credit for achievements goes to the people as those are based on the power of the people and it is the people who achieve we are just the channel to synergize the power of the people.

Dear Sanjay, during the last two years I have come across a very important philosophy of leading life – Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. I quote from his saying –“The role of the leader is to serve the members. Leaders must never be domineering or self important.”

I am a strong believer in Karma and the philosophy that I have imbibed. Though I have not received any communication from you but I take the liberty of appealing to you that whatever period of this tenure are remaining let us resolve our differences, restore the CWC and work together for the people. Instead of aligning with the outside forces it is much more important to align amongst ourselves. We still have time to jointly struggle for victory. The choice is yours.

In anticipation Long Live ASTO Unity.

God bless you.

(Amit Kumar)
President ASTO, Delhi

Copy to:

1. The Board of Directors.
2. President/Secretary of ASTO Units.
3. All the ASTO Members.