Modi govt ‘officially’ skips 200-yr-old tradition of marking OFB Day; ‘attempt to erase past’, say employees

In a departure from a two-century old tradition, the Central government this year ‘officially’ skipped the OFB Day celebrations observed on March 18 every year to mark the establishment of India’s first ordnance factory in 1801 at Cossipore near Kolkata.

The decision came a year after the Modi government merged 41 ordnance factories and set up seven corporations despite strong opposition from employees.

Following this move, various employees’ unions had observed OFB Day last year as “Save OFB Day”.

Sources said that the Central government had directed ordnance factories and DDO (C&S) Headquarters not to observe the OFB Day. However, defying the directive, employees and officials observed the OFB Day, said an employees’ union leader.

Expressing their displeasure over the directive, employees had shot off a letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh a few days ago, urging him to desist from such an ‘ill-advised move’.

“Since the Ordnance Factory Board has been dismantled and cobbled as seven corporations, the OFB Day is not going to be celebrated this year in the ordnance factories and DDO (C&S) Headquarters. If it is so, it will be an ill-advised and unwanted idea put forth by whoever it may be, willingly or unwillingly to be the reason for making the name of ordnance factories and its essence vanish from the horizon, which we the employees of ordnance factories cannot accept,” the letter read.

“The honorable Defence Minister may kindly give suitable instructions to all concerned to desist from such a move, which would vitiate the already volatile environment in ordnance factories,” it went on to add.

The erstwhile OFB network, comprising 41 factories divided into five operational divisions, constituted a defence production conglomerate with one of the widest range of products in the world.

Talking to NH, Srikumar, general secretary of the employee’s federation, said, “The employees view the government missing from the OFB Day celebration as an attempt to erase the glorious past of the OFB. We will raise the issue again when we meet them.”

Sources said that the Central government has invited representatives of the employees for another round of talk in the first week of April. Employees working in all units have demanded timely release of PF, gratuity and health insurances among other welfare schemes for them.