The late 1960's and the early 70's were in some form a
tumultuous period for ITI to some extent. The mood and scenario within ITI was
largely vehement. To my knowledge when I was a baby there was a stand-off
within ITI premises and employees were not let out of the plant for the fear of
creating law-and-order problems. The CMD of ITI who ever was at helm at these
times had a difficult task at maintaining law and order. Note that ITI had its
own elaborate Watch and Ward staff who were used to maintain order. I think
there was a full fledged unrest in 1977 and a lock-out of the factory for few
months in 1981. My father had a great quality of understanding the
circumstances around him and acting and reacting to it in a quick and placid
manner which saw him basically put up with the vagaries of the environment.
Adjusting switches of Strowger exchanges came handy to him from years of
experience and he enjoyed doing it day-after-day which saw our family basically
put up with economic challenges of these times. Mrs. Indira Gandhi
declared Emergency during these times also due to the inputs of Industrial
unrest which she was getting from time to time.
By and Large
definitely I must say ITI had a peaceful climate barring few incidents which
spurted up occasionally and there were times when matters were serious.
But the pinnacle of
such events was the stabbing of the Works-Manager Ajit Dutt who was the
works-manager of ITI -I dont remember the exact year but must have been in
1971. Mr.Dutta Gupta was the GM I think and Iam not fully sure who was the
CMD...most possibly it was Shri I K Gupta.. Earlier few employees were
suspended from work who organized themselves one morning..some four of
them..and inflicted serious injuries on Mr.Ajit Dutt who was the then Works
Manager..Ajit Dutt used to live in the house adjacent to the main road that
passes through Circle to Ramamurthy Nagar near to the ITI theater.The
assailants escaped in panic as there were many employees who were walking to
work from the ITI colony who possibly intervened and Mr.Dutt must have been
rushed to the ITI hospital with injuries but out of danger. Later these
employees were removed from service and the matter must have become a criminal
case.
Discipline was even
more tightened thereafter with no such bizarre incidents thereafter. The
Central Govt. considering the situation started satellite ITI plants in
Rae-Bariely,Mankapur and Palghat to decrease the dependence solely on the ITI
Bangalore plant for Telecom work.
