However, on an application filed by the Govt. of India before the Supreme Court, the finished tyres and tubes, which are used by Indian Air Force for their aircraft, were ordered to be removed from the factory. Workers and their families had peacefully lined up before the factory on 23rd of August with placards which read ' National security more important than our starvation' 'Open the factory to make the productive use of the machines and men for producing tyres and tubes for Defence forces', 'Pay the workers from the sale proceeds' etc.

It was a moving scene and the Air Force officials, who had come to collect tyres, were visibly moved and they were quite forthright in expressing their admiration for the restraint shown by these poor workers for the sake of the defence of the country. They had been told by certain quarters that there would be ugly demonstrations and even resistance by the workers in view of the extreme hardship faced by the workers and the unpaid salaries & dues which are being withheld by the Company. However they were overwhelmed by the reaction of the workers, who had the country first in their mind before their personal miseries and they conveyed the same to the vice president of CITU affiliated union who was with them inside the factory.

Unfortunately, the Government of the day at the Centre has not acted in the national interest at all in dealing with the problem of Dunlop in spite of the fact that Public Financial Institutions like LIC, GIC and UTI owned by the Govt. of India hold 36.64% shares in Dunlop. The company employs 7100 persons in the works at Sahaganj (4,500) in West Bengal and Ambattur (2600) in Tamil Nadu. The main promoter, M/s. Chhabria Group had indulged in financial mismanagement of the highest order and brought this blue-chip company to the present position.

The company had reported profit till March '97. On 12th of January '98, the Board of Directors decided that the company had become sick due to the necessity of reversing the earlier decision for sale of some real estate property of the company through a subsidiary, Dunlop Investment Limited. This decision required a reversal of corresponding entry of Rs. 1,700 million and its reflection in the accounts of the financial year 1997-98. After taking this into account, the Board of Directors decided to refer the company to BIFR and abruptly announced suspension of work in both Sahaganj and Ambattur works on 8. 2. 98. The Ministry for Law, Justice & Company Affairs had also come to the conclusion after inspection of the Books of Accounts of DIL that there were serious irregularities and had moved the Company Law Board for appointment of Government Directors.

Meanwhile, in view of the strategic importance of the Dunlop India Limited, specially the Sahaganj Unit, where the tyres and tubes are specially manufactured for defence purposes, both in Air Force and Army, the Govt. of West Bengal had decided to take over the management of the company temporarily to re-start the operations after an appropriate action under I (D & R) Act is taken by the Centre. In the Parliament, the Left MPs insisted time and again that Govt. of India should take over the management of the company temporarily under this Act, in view of the strategic importance as well as in the interest of the workers. The Ministry of Industry had assured in Rajya Sabha on 1. 6. 98 and 21. 7. 98 that the Government would do something. However, nothing concrete was done. The Chief Minister, Govt. of West Bengal, took up the matter with the Minister of Industry, Minister of Law, Justice & Company Affairs, Govt. of India and ultimately approached the Prime Minister personally. In its latest response, Govt. of India as on 16. 7. 99 informed that " the general health of the tyre industry does not justify invoking the provision of I (D & R) Act." This is inspite of the fact that closure of Dunlop means import at double the price.

Paradoxically when this letter was being written by the Minister of Industry, the Defence Minister was simultaneously contacting the Chief Minister, Govt. of West Bengal, to get the co-operation of the trade unions in getting the tyres and tubes out of the factory for use in MIG-21, MIG-23/29 etc. in Air Force. The unions at that time also had informed the Chief Minister that they placed the interest of the nation before their own problems. They have proved their bonafides to the nation by co-operating in getting the finished products released from the factory for the use by Indian Air Force.