CHAUBEYJI IS NO MORE

 

WE ARE ALL BEREAVED,OUR CHAUBEYJI IS NO MORE

The stalwart of AIRF who led many a crusade for the betterment of both serving and retired railwaymen and their family members for more than three decades since 1975 in which year he became General Secretary of AIRF ,Com.Jagadish Prasad Chaubeyji breathed his last on 03.08.08 ,the auspisous Vinayaka Chathurthi in New Delhi due to cardiac arrest.By his death ,the railwaymen lost a beloved leader, guide,philosopher and patriach.He was born in Baijapur village in Sultanpur District of Utttara Pradesh.After completion of high school education,he joined the railways on October 18,1946 and became an Asst Secretary of a local Union of the erstwhile East indian Railway .His uncompromising committment to the union and railwaymen undoubtedly made him reach his zenith in no time .His mortal remains are being taken to Allahabad by a special train.His funeral is scheduled to be held tomorrow,i.e.,on 4.8.08 in Allahabad which will be attended by S/Sri A.B.Vajpayeeji,Lalu Prasadji ,Purohitji,among several others.

LIFE SKETCH OF COM.J.P.CHAUBEY , GENERAL SECRETARY, ALL INDIA RAILWAYMEN’S FEDERATION.
Com.J.P.Chaubey, General Secretary of All India Railwaymen’s Federation is the recipient of the Guruswami Award for the best trade unionist for the year 2004.
Jagdish Prasad Chaubey was born on 2nd March,1924 and hails from the village of Baijapur. Sultanpur Dist. Uttar Pradesh. After completing education, young Jagdish joined his father in business.
Jagdish’s self respect and fair play clashed with the lethargy and the questionable ways of the engineers. He quit this line of business and joined Eastern Railway as a clerk through a competitive examination on 18th October,1946. His being born in 1924, the year of AIRF’s foundation, has destined him to join the railways.
Like a fish taking to water, young Jagdish plunged himself into the railway trade union movement. He made important landmarks in the trade union movement and by 1953, he was elected to the Working Committee of NFIR, the merged federation of AIRF and INRWE. After the tragic death of Shri Hariharanath Shastri, in an air crash, the merger of federations began to wreck in the clash of the functioning of the President, and Administration’s discriminating attitudes and political rivalry. The merger failed and AIRF was revived in 1957. Chaubey chose to continue under the aegis of AIRF.
He was elected as one of the Vice Presidents of AIRF, at Udaipur Convention, in 1962. His organising skill and his administrative capacity helped to run a camp of headquarters office of AIRF at Delhi under the direction of Com.Peter Alvares. On October 9th 1973, he was elected as Treasurer of AIRF. He was almost the de facto general secretary of AIRF from then onwards.
Though initially rejected by AIRF, the Joint Consultative Machinery was promoted by the farsighted and persuasive Com.Chaubey. He ultimately succeeded in accepting JCM Machinery. He himself became Secretary of JCM on behalf of AIRF in 1966.
When National Council rejected the demands of the central government employees, Com.Chaubey (along with the other leaders) went on indefinite hunger strike at the famous Boat Club from October 11th 1968. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi intervened and on her assurances, the hunger strike terminated on October 18th 1968.
Com.Chaubey became a very popular leader from a lovable charismatic leader respected by all sections of workers.
A few of his achievements are listed below:
He was instrumental in getting Central Government Employees several benefits, including the recent 6th Central Pay Commission, in addition to stalling the outsourcing activity in Railways.
Preparation and presentation of evidence on behalf of AIRF before 2nd to 6th Central Pay Commissions. Das & Gajendragadkar Commissions on Dearness Allowance for Central Government employees, Productivity Linked Bonus to Railwaymen.
Signing the agreement with the Government for production linked bonus.
Cadre restructuring of different categories of railwaymen widening promotional avenues.
Improved running allowance to the running staff.
Establishment of regular headquarters office for AIRF at New Delhi.
Publication of House Journals in English & Hindi.
Publication of History of AIRF from Foundation year 1924.
Promoting welfare activities of railwaymen and training programmes to educate railwaymen in the sphere of their work and increasing their efficiency.
Promoting research activities through Com.D.D.Vashist Research Centre at New Delhi which put AIRF work on scientific basis.
Wage analysis – Data collection, survey and comparative studies.
Research on economy, rail industry and its financial implications.
GLOBAL ACTIVITIES:
Com.Chaubey’s vision of workers welfare extended beyond the borders of this country.
He was part of the government delegation which visited Great Britain, Federal Republic of Germany, ILO and Switzerland, in October 1972 and submitted a useful report on Inter relations of Labour, Management and the State.
He visited USSR in 1977, German Democratic Republic. Australia and Japan for preparatory work on Second Asian Seminar. In 1980, he visited USA and Canada for ITF Conference at Miami and had useful interaction with trade union leaders. He attended Manila, Phillippines meeting of ILO in 1980 and 1981. He made a visit to Syria and Turkey to attend the International Conference to Transport Workers.
Com.Chaubey, a warm personality believes that understanding is the shortest distance between two people.
In the foot steps of Shri Guruswami, Com.Chaubey has shown rare dedication, detachment, and propagating Worker’s cause on scientific lines, believing in persuasion than in attrition, bringing together different shades of opinion for a common cause, and avoiding falling a prey to temptations of money, power and positions.
He has been conferred with Guruswami Award for Best Trade Unionist for the year 2004 on 28th September,2003.
He breathed his last on 3rd September,2008 in New Delhi due to cardiac arrest.