NEW DELHI witnessed a massive demonstration before parliament on July 24 afternoon, joined by thousands of workers, against the anti-people and anti-national policies of the BJP-led Vajpayee government. Irrespective of their political affiliations, all the national level trade union organisations joined hands to condemn the economic policies of the government.

The rally, which covered the entire length and breath of Parliament Street, echoed in one voice the resolve not to allow any further dilution of the nation’s interests in favour of the multinationals.

CITU general secretary Dr M K Pandhe said the workers were concerned about the gradual sacrifice of their rights and interests and had resolved to fight unitedly against any dilution of labour laws and the sell-off of public sector units. Other speakers who spoke on the same line were O P Tyagi (BMS), Umraomal Purohit (HMS), Sapan Mukherjee (AICCTU), K L Malaviya (AITUC), Abani Roy (UTUC), Satyaban (UTUC-LS), S C Gambhir (TIC) and Chauhan (INTUC).

The demonstration adopted a resolution, recording opposition and protest on behalf of the entire working people against the government of India’s disastrous economic and industrial policies. Symbolising all-in unity of the working class, the gathering noted with concern how these policies have been causing havoc to the life of all sections of society, including peasants, workers, employees, students, youth and women. The so-called ‘second generation reforms’ have aggravated the pace of decline in all segments of the economy, leading to closure of industries, loss of jobs, mass unemployment and steep price rise. Apart from selling the public sector undertakings at throw-away prices, even the very basis of our national security, the defence production units, are being privatised. Unrestricted import is causing havoc to small-scale industries and agriculture in particular.

On the other hand, labourers’ rights are under attack in order to impose a condition of slavery on them. Moves are afoot to amend the labour laws to destroy the unions, casualise the entire workforce and allow the employers to retrench workers at will.

In this background, all the central trade unions are trying to mobilise the working class for a countrywide united struggle against these policies in order to save the people and the country from disaster and ruin. The following issues have been identified for this struggle:

1. against privatisation of profit-making and potentially viable public sector units, including defence sector industries;
2. against the moves to change labour laws in favour of employers;
3. for immediate enactment of a comprehensive legislation for agricultural workers;
4. against removal of quantitative restrictions on imports which have harmed industry, agriculture and the national interest as a whole;
5. against policies leading to severe aggravation of unemployment.

The resolution condemned the reckless closure of thousands of factories in Delhi on the pretext of ‘environmental concern,’ rendering lakhs of workers jobless.

The rally congratulated the defence sector employees for their successful two-day strike action against privatisation move, in all the defence production units throughout the country on July 23-24, at the joint call of all the federations.

The massive demonstration of workers, employees and toiling people before the parliament on July 24 synchronised with workers’ demonstrations all over the country. (INN)