People's Democracy

Left Parties Greet Striking Workers

The Left parties, viz the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party, issued the following statement on February 21, 2013.

THE Left parties warmly congratulate the working class, employees and other sections of the working people who have made the two-day general strike on February 20 and 21 a magnificent success. The workers struck work in all industries and commercial sectors. The strike was effective in petroleum sector, coal, mining, port and dock, plantation, manufacturing, banking and insurance. State government offices were also affected by the strike. The participation of workers in the unorganised  sectors and of scheme workers was also notable.  

The Left parties condemn the instances of police repression against striking workers and the killing of a trade union leader in Ambala by crushing him under a state bus. In West Bengal, despite the state government machinery being used to foil the strike, there was a powerful strike in various sectors. Kerala observed a total bandh in solidarity with the striking workers.

This strike has been historic in that all the central trade unions gave a joint call for the first time for a two-day general strike. This makes it the biggest working class action since independence. The central government has to immediately address the demands raised by the general strike and take steps to fulfil them, otherwise bigger actions will follow. This is a wakeup call to stop the anti-people and anti-working class policies.

The statement was signed by Prakash Karat, S Sudhakar Reddy, Debabrata Biswas and T J Chandrachoodan, general secretaries of the CPI(M), CPI, FB and RSP respectively.