People's Democracy

(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)

Vol. XXXI

No. 41

October 14, 2007

CITU WORKING COMMITTEE CALL

 

Countrywide Agitation Against The Anti-People Policies Of The UPA Govt

 

Tapan Sen

 

THE three-day long working committee meeting of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) concluded with the call for countrywide agitation and campaign against the anti-people, anti-national policies of the UPA government to culminate in a countrywide general strike in the subsequent phase.

 

The meeting held from October 6-8, 2007 saw 109 members representing all the states and sectors of the economy attending. The meeting began with hoisting of the CITU flag by president, M K Pandheat the CITU headquarters, B T Ranadive Bhawan, New Delhi.

 

The presidential address was delivered by M K Pandhe which dealt in detail on the developments in the international arena. Among the things he highlighted was the increasing isolation of US policies despite its continuing aggressive and hegemonistic ploy to dominate in the world politico-economic scenario. US policy got a good beating in Iraq and even the present stooge government of Iraq started talking about withdrawal of US army from Iraq. Its hegemonistic design has come under severe criticism and faced opposition in all the centres where the USA had intervened -- be it Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine et al. Latin America has been witnessing loudest protest against US administration’s interference in their affairs. On the other hand, the bankruptcy of the Fund/Bank dictated economic regime is getting exposed throughout the world and opposition to economic neo-liberalism is becoming louder and louder all over the globe getting expressed through numerous strike actions and demonstrations spread over both the developing and developed economies. In totality, opposition to imperialism-driven aggressionist policies both on economic and political arena is becoming much more pronounced. Pandhe said that it is unfortunate that at this crucial juncture in the world-scenario, the Indian rulers are clamouring for strategic alliance with US imperialists. The working class movement must note these events with the alarm it deserves and build up strong opposition to such pernicious drift of the Indian ruling class.

 

GEN-SEC REPORT

 

The general secretary’s report presented by Mohd Amin dealt on the developments in the national scenario. The report noted at the outset a drastic rightward shift of the ruling polity in respect of foreign policy issues which has got serious ramification on the internal matters as well. The strategic military cooperation and joint military exercises with USA and its allies; voting twice against Iran in the IAEA just to please the US administration; going against the common stand adopted by the non-aligned movement countries etc are clear indications of such a rightward shift in violation of the commitment made in the CMP. The controversy over Indo-US nuclear deal and insistence of UPA government to go ahead with the deal despite strong opposition by the Left parties (including a significant section of nuclear scientists demanding not to operationalise the deal) is a clear indication of the ruling classes subordinating India’s independent foreign policy to US imperialist interests. The report pointed out in clear terms that the nuclear deal in its present form in the context of Hyde Act may subject India to become easy victim of US blackmail not only in the matter of nuclear projects but also in wider areas of US imperialist hegemonistic design. Falling into such imperialist trap will have serious ramifications on our economic independence and political sovereignty, which the working class movement can ignore only at its peril.

 

Amin flayed the anti-people economic policy leading to continuing price rise of essential commodities, aggravating unemployment and poverty, increasing spate of farmers’ suicides etc despite increase in the rate of GDP. This reflects a total perversion in the development process through which the gains of increasing GDP is being totally cornered by the handful of moneyed class. The working people, both in the cites and villages, who are in real term contributing to growing GDP numbers are getting a raw deal. Working class is under severe attack through State-sponsored violation of labour laws, dismantling of social security benefits and mass scale contractorisation. The unorganised sector workers representing 93 per cent of the country’s workforce and contributing more than 65 per cent to country’s GDP are subjected to worst forms of deceit through denial of a comprehensive protective legislation for them in total violation of the CMP commitment. The Unorganised Sector Workers Social Security Bill introduced in parliament is nothing but an eyewash containing nothing substantive to ensure even a time-bound social security cover for the entire workforce. Privatisation move is going on and disinvestments drive is being sought to be renewed in the name of Investment Fund. Reckless proliferation of SEZs is taking place. Unregulated corporatisation of retail trade and backdoor entry of the MNCs in the retail trade sector is threatening loss of employment and livelihood to crores of small retail traders and related workforce. All these are disastrous fallouts of the imperialist driven policies of neoliberal globalisation which the UPA government has been religiously following despite consistent opposition of the Left parties and the trade union movement.

 

The general secretary’s report also noted with satisfaction the emerging struggle by the working people countrywide against the anti-people policies of the government in the face of utterly opportunist role and communal design of the main opposition party BJP. The massive countrywide strike by the Anganwadi workers on July 10, the unorganised sector workers’ strike action on August 8, forthcoming countrywide strike by the government employees on October 30 are the indications of working people getting ready for a bigger action against the pro-imperialist and pro-rich policies of the government.

 

PREPARE FOR POLITICAL STRUGGLE

 

The working class movement must prepare itself to play its destined role in the political struggle that would follow the political uncertainties looming large in the midst of Indo-US nuclear deal controversy, the report stressed. Our entire struggle against the neo-liberal economic policies must have more vocal anti-imperialist focus. We must overcome our weakness in this regard and integrate those struggles with the anti-imperialist campaign that has already been launched countrywide by the Left and progressive forces along with the working class. The working class must fight back firmly along with the Left and progressive forces the scurrilous offensive of the ruling class that may express itself in more aggressive form, aided and abetted by the imperialist agencies in the forthcoming political struggle. We must also expose the pro-imperialist and pro-globalisation policies of the BJP and its communal agenda, as it seeks to utilise the discontent among the people to again come to power.

 

A total of 42 members took part in the discussion on the report and made important suggestions and observations which enriched the understanding formulated by the report. The deliberations reflected a firm resolve to meet the challenges of the situation, however difficult it might be.

 

The working committee unanimously passed three resolutions viz., 1) Against Indo-US Nuclear Deal (proposed by Shyamal Chakraborty and seconded by A Soundarrajan) 2) Against Price Rise (proposed by K Hemalata and seconded by Kashmir Singh Thakur) and 3) Demanding immediate implementation of the Sethusamudram Project (proposed by Basudeb Acharia and seconded by J Hemachandran). CITU working committee also noted with shock and grief the killing of 10 workers in a fire that broke out in a textile factory at Panipat, Haryana on October 7 afternoon which again exposed the utter violation of the statutory safety requirements at workplace by the employer with direct indulgence of the administration. While condoling the death of the poor workers, CITU demanded appropriate compensation to the deceased and injured workers’ family and punishment of the erring employers and the concerned officials of the state administration.

 

PROGRAMME OF ACTION

 

The working committee after detailed deliberations adopted the following programmes of campaign, agitation and action:

 

  1. A week-long campaign to culminate in demonstration and rally throughout the country from October 22 to October 29, 2007 on the following issues:

  1. All India Demand Day for Comprehensive Protective Legislation for the Unorganised Sector Workers on October 31, 2007 to be observed through demonstration/rallies/dharna etc.

  2. Meeting of the All India Coordination Committee of Unorganised Sector Workers will be held on November 20, 2007 at New Delhi.

  3. Implementation of the decision of the Worker-Peasant joint convention held on August 31, 2007

  4. Sending telegram by all the unions to prime minister on 22.10.2007 demanding completion of Sethusamudram Project

 

PROGRAMMES OF SPONSORING COMMITTEE OF TRADE UNIONS

 

CPSTU PROGRAMME

 

The CITU working committee called upon the working class to make the above programmes successful and prepare for massive countrywide strike action to cry halt to the anti-people policies.