The employee unions claimed that the government has not allotted spectrum for 4G services to BSNL in order to prevent it from competing against Reliance Jio.
Reliance Jio did not comment on the allegations.
"As of now, the whole telecom industry is gripped with a crisis... All these have happened due to the predatory pricing of the Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio. The whole game plane of Reliance Jio is to wipe out its competitors, which includes the state owned BSNL," the unions said in a joint statement.
"As of now, the whole telecom industry is gripped with a crisis... All these have happened due to the predatory pricing of the Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio. The whole game plane of Reliance Jio is to wipe out its competitors, which includes the state owned BSNL," the unions said in a joint statement.
Also Read : Reliance Jio Replaces Airtel As Official Telco For Indian Railways
The
All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) has alleged that with its
huge financial muscle, Reliance Jio is offering services at 'below-cost'
rates. It said that private telecom companies like Aircel, Tata
Teleservices, Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Communications and Telenor have
already closed their mobile service businesses.
It alleged that Reliance Jio will steeply raise call and data tariffs once the entire competition is wiped out.
"It
will loot the people by steeply raising the call and data charges. It
is a matter of deep concern that, Reliance Jio is being openly
patronised by the Narendra Modi government," the statement said.
No immediate comments were received from the Prime Minister's Office. AUAB said the public sector firm has been demanding allotment of 4G spectrum but "the government has turned a deaf ear to this demand, with the ulterior motive of preventing the public sector company from putting up an effective competition to Reliance Jio.”
No immediate comments were received from the Prime Minister's Office. AUAB said the public sector firm has been demanding allotment of 4G spectrum but "the government has turned a deaf ear to this demand, with the ulterior motive of preventing the public sector company from putting up an effective competition to Reliance Jio.”
Also Read : Reliance Jio Makes Inroads In Non-Metro Cities
All officers and workers of BSNL are going on an indefinite strike from 3 December 2018, the AUAB said.
"Demands of the strike include the immediate allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL for rolling out its 4G service, implementation of the government rule in respect of payment of pension contribution by BSNL, wage revision of the employees and pension revision of the retirees, from 1 January 2017," the statement said.
"Demands of the strike include the immediate allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL for rolling out its 4G service, implementation of the government rule in respect of payment of pension contribution by BSNL, wage revision of the employees and pension revision of the retirees, from 1 January 2017," the statement said.
It also alleged that whosoever tried to act against Reliance Jio had to pay the price, including former Telecom Secretary JS Deepak.
"JS
Deepak wrote to the Trai demanding action on Reliance Jio, for adopting
predatory pricing. As a result, he was instantaneously shunted out of
the DoT... This was a clear signal given by the Narendra Modi
government, as to what would happen to any one who dares to speak
against Reliance Jio," the unions alleged.
Deepak was named India's Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) when he was abroad to attend the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Spain.
Deepak was named India's Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) when he was abroad to attend the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Spain.
Also Read : Tariffs can't be raised; affordable 5G devices in India by 2021: Jio
The
unions said that BSNL was in a loss of more than Rs 8,800 crore in
2011-12 but due to the combined efforts taken by the employees and the
management, the PSU posted an operating profit of Rs 672.57 crore in
2014-15.
"BSNL's improved performance is reflected in the expansion of it's customer base also. It must be remembered that all these achievements are made by BSNL without 4G technology, and with only 2G and 3G technologies, while all the private companies are armed with 4G technology," the statement said.
"BSNL's improved performance is reflected in the expansion of it's customer base also. It must be remembered that all these achievements are made by BSNL without 4G technology, and with only 2G and 3G technologies, while all the private companies are armed with 4G technology," the statement said.
Apart from the allotment of 4G spectrum, the AUAB is also demanding the implementation of the government’s rule in the matter of BSNL’s payment of pension contribution.
"It
is atrocious that, the Narendra Modi government is violating it's own
rule, and is fleecing a huge amount from BSNL every year, in the name of
Pension Contribution. This is seriously affecting the financial health
of the Company," the unions said.
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