People's Democracy

AGAINST THE JUNGLE RAJ OF THE CAPITALISTS

Massive Rally Of Workers In Ludhiana

Raghunath Singh

Yechury addressing the rally

PROTESTING against the jungle raj of the capitalists, a massive rally was held in Dana Mandi, Ludhiana on July 31, 2005 at the call of the Punjab CITU state committee. More then 25,000 industrial workers, predominantly from the cycle industry of Ludhiana participated in this rally. The rally was addressed by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury, who in his speech strongly condemned the Punjab government for curbing the basic trade union rights of the workers to organise a trade union of there choice.

With the connivance of the cycle industry owners and Punjab government, the Ludhiana district administration did everything to terrorise and prevent the workers from taking part in this rally. The police force had been deployed in the city in large numbers, particularly in industrial area to terrorise the workers. The owners also did everything in their power to prevent the workers from joining the rally.

Braving this terror, repression and victimisation, thousands of industrial workers of Ludhiana held rallies in front of their factory gate and began marching in procession towards the venue of the rally with the CITU flags and banners in their hands. Their thunderous slogans rented the air. The venue virtually looked a sea of red. One encouraging factor was that almost every worker joined the rally with his entire family. The CITU state committee had given a call to the workers to join the rally with family and with flag against the jungle raj & the police raj. Workers responded to this slogan enthusiastically. The leaders and the activists from all the district of Punjab also joined the rally to express their solidarity with the workers of the Ludhiana industry who have been agitating for last more than one and half years. The successful rally rattled the employers, the government and the district administration while creating confidence among the agitating workers to continue their struggle against the jungle raj of the employers till victory.

Addressing the huge rally, Sitaram Yechuri warned the government that if it wants to avoid confrontation with the wokers it must immediately register all industrial unions of workers of Ludhiana. He told the workers that he had already discussed the matter with the chief minister who promised to take up the matter with the labour commissioner of Punjab. Coming down heavily on the Haryana government for Gurgaon barbarity, Yechury said that it was sad despite the government incorporating a special section to safeguard the rights of the workers and assuring that workers would be consulted before undertaking any labour reforms, such atrocities were taking place. The police clearly sided with the MNC in Gurgaon instead of protecting the law of the land. He warned the Punjab government that if the basic trade union rights of the workers are not protected and the employers are allowed to play with the lives of innocent workmen, the CPI(M) will intensify the agitation all over the country in defense of the rights of the working class.

Among those who addressed the rally included Balwant Singh, CITU state president, Raghunath Singh, general secretary, Vijay Mishra, working president Punjab CITU, Rachhpal Singh and Lahmber Singh Taggar (Punjab Kisan Sabha) and S S Sekhon.