The Hindu : Trade unions plan general strike on May 21

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 18, 2003

National

National

Trade unions plan general strike on May 21

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 17. A number of central trade unions, mainly affiliated to the Left parties, have called for a nationwide industrial general strike on May 21 to protest the economic policies of the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre.

At a press conference here today, the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary, Gurudas Dasgupta, attacked the BJP-led Government for "downsizing, retrenchment, reckless privatisation and job cuts".

In a related development, an editorial in the latest issue of the CPI (M) organ `People's Democracy' said that apart from registering a massive people's protest against the economic policies, "May 21 will also serve notice to the communal forces that `asli Bharat' (real India) will not fall prey to their (RSS/BJP) machinations which seek to divert their attention away from issues of life and bread into disruptive communal polarisation".

Claiming the support of a large number of affiliated unions at the ground level, owing allegiance to the BJP-supported Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and the Congress-backed INTUC, Mr. Dasgupta said the strike would affect all financial institutions, the insurance and postal sectors, coal and mines, and State Government offices.

Lashing out at the Government's "lopsided economic policies", Mr. Dasgupta said that about one crore people had lost jobs over the past two years. "Growth of job opportunities has become negative, the total volume of unemployment is around 15 crores.

Nearly six lakh factories are closed and default in the payment of statutory dues are mounting. In Bihar alone, these total up to Rs. 500 crores and over Rs. 2,500 crores in Central public sector undertakings. The working masses are under attack as never before," he said.

The trade unions had been compelled to take the extreme step of going on strike as the Government had time and again failed to redress their grievances.

"Our demand is for a change of policies. The Labour Ministry has become the mouthpiece of corporate houses.

It has crossed swords with the trade unions," Mr. Dasgupta alleged.

He appealed to the INTUC and the BMS to join the mainstream of trade union resistance. More than the Left-affiliated trade unions, it was the Swadeshi Jagran Manch of the Sangh Parivar which had been vocal in criticising the Government policies, he said.

Mr. Dasgupta said that farmers too were facing a grave crisis as free import of agricultural goods, withdrawal of subsidies and a rise in the prices of agricultural inputs had resulted in pauperisation.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National