People's Democracy

BALCO Workers Again On War Path

M K Nandy

THE workers of BALCO have decided to intensify their struggle on the issue of selling 49 per cent share to Sterlite. On October 14, 2004 BALCO BACHAO Samyukta Abhiyan Samity organised a convention at Ambedkar Bhawan, BALCO. A good number of BALCO workers participated in the convention. For the first time women workers also participated in a large number. M P Mishra of HMS presided over the convention. M K Pandhe, president, CITU was the chief guest and main speaker of the convention.

Pandhe congratulated the BALCO BACHAO Samyukta Abhiyan Samity for organising such convention and also suggested to organise a similar type of state level convention to unify all sections of workers in support of BALCO workers struggle. He said BALCO agreement is an anti-national agreement. We have to pressurise the government to cancel this agreement. Your struggle is an important struggle against the wrong policy of the government. Government of India is selling profitable public sector units to those rich people who are not repaying the bank loans, evading the tax etc. But for the development of the country public sector development is absolutely necessary. He also suggested to organise a dharna at New-Delhi and assured that he himself along with other central trade unions leaders will sit with them on the dharna. Inside the parliament left MPs and outside the parliament the trade unions will create tremendous pressure on the government which may compel the government to change its anti-people privatisation policy.

C R Bakshi of AITUC in his deliberation said that we have to learn the lesson from earlier mistakes and this time we have to correct the mistakes to take the right path, so that we can get the victory. M K Nandy of CITU congratulated the workers for their historic 67 days strike. He said BALCO workers have shown the path to the working class of the country that privatisation cannot go unchallenged. He cautioned workers that whenever the workers got united against the anti-workers policy of the Sterlite management, some stooges of the management always indulged in rumour mongering to break the unity of the workers. We have to be very alert against these stooges. They need to be exposed thoroughly. Nandy also demanded that government of India investigates the scandalous deal of 51 per cent share selling of BALCO to Sterlite management. He said the guilty persons should be punished and the deal should also be cancelled.

Rajen Mishra of BMS has expressed his gratitude to CITU for its tremendous support during the 67 days strike. He said CITU is the real militant trade union organisation for the working class of our country. Around 20 more speakers spoke in the convention.

The convention decided to organise a state level convention against the selling of remaining 49 per cent BALCO share to Sterlite management very soon. The convention also decided to organise a big dharna before parliament at the time of winter session.

Earlier the BALCO workers went on one day strike on July 22, 2004, in protest against the decision of the government of India to sell remaining 49 per cent share of BALCO to Sterlite management. The strike was complete inspite of opposition by the INTUC Union. INTUC leaders came out openly in favour of Sterlite management. They distributed leaflets and made an appeal to the workers not to go on strike. But the workers did not respond to their call and went on strike. INTUC was thoroughly rejected by the general workers including their own members.

In the evening a huge mass meeting was organised. M K Pandhe was the main speaker of the meeting. The common people were telling that after 67 days strike this was the biggest ever mass meeting in BALCO. Pandhe said in his deliberation that the Sterlite management has violated the share agreement in various ways during last three years. Legally government of India cannot sell 49 per cent share to Sterlite as per agreement. He said Sterlite management is notorious since it has been trying to suppress workers rights and their movement. He said we have to create tremendous pressure on government of India by organising big struggle with the support of general workers and the common people.

Pandhe said this government also represents the interests of the capitalists and feudal forces. This government works to serve their interests only. In the budget for 2004-05 this government gave many relaxations to the rich people whereas it has reduced the facilities of the common people. Reductions in the rate of interest on provident fund (PF), and increase in foreign investment in insurance, telecom, and civil aviation are some of the examples. We are supporting the government on the basis of Common Minimum Programmes (CMP) to prevent the communal forces from coming into the power because these forces are very dangerous for the unity and integrity of the nation. But unfortunately this government is trying to violate the CMP. We have to remain alert and force the government to follow the CMP. We can do this only with the support of the people.

Pandhe gave thanks to the workers for successful strike on July 22, against the government decision of selling 49 per cent share to Sterlite. He said INTUC may be recognised by the Sterlite management but the workers have de-recognised INTUC by rejecting their appeal to go on strike. On the contrary, by responding to the strike call they have recognised the BALCO BACHAO Samyukta Abhiyan Samity as their real union. The management must understand this thing. He expressed surprise that in BALCO the INTUC is in the struggle against privatisation, but here are they working as stooges of the Sterlite management. He made an appeal to the people to extend more support in all respects in this historic struggle. Truly public sector is the property of the people. So people should save it. No government should dare to sell the public property to the private parties. If public sector units become strong then our country’s economy will also be strong.

C R Bakshi of AITUC and Rajen Mishra of BMS also addressed the meeting. The meeting was presided over by M P Mishra of HMS