Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Jan 9: As a part of two-day country-wide general strike, hundreds of trade union activists from various unions and associations from across the Jammu and Kashmir regions held protest demonstrations and also took out rallies against the alleged anti-worker policies of Central Government.
In Srinagar, a large number of trade unionists thronged Pratap Park in Srinagar despite severe cold today. The trade union activists from Anganwadi workers/helpers Union, ASHA workers Union, Non-Gazetted Electric Employees Union, Kashmir Construction Workers Union, Horticulture Employees Union, Mid-Day Meal Workers Union, Handicrafts Workers Union, Centaur Hotel Workers Union and Northern Zone Insurance Employees Association with banners and CITU flags in their hands raised slogans like ‘Inqilab Zindabad’, ‘workers unity zindabad’, ‘down with anti-worker policies of Modi-Govt’ and ‘we want justice’ marched through Lal Chowk.
While addressing the rally, Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami, State president CITU said Modi Government’s report card of almost five years is before people and there are only failures. Some of the big failures of the Modi Government have been demonetization, betrayal with farmers, weakening of institutions and cultivation of hate and unemployment.
“Instead of providing social security to the working people, this Government adopted new laws to promote contract-based and temporary employment. Minimum wages of Rs 18 thousand to all workers, whether they are in informal sector or in schemes, or temporary workers in Government sector is nowhere. Even the already announced wages are not being implemented,” he added.
Tarigami said the assault of the Modi Government on the livelihood of the tolling people can be defeated only by the united mass struggles by the working class. “Instead of redressing the problems, the Government functionaries are pursuing the policies of deceit and polarization. They use the old divisive tricks to divide the ranks of the toiling people,” he said, adding the time has come when such attempts are checkmated and foiled by remaining united and pursuing the path of continuous struggles.
Others who on the occasion include Mohd Afzal Parry (senior kisan leader), Ali Mohd Tantry of Northern Zone Insurance Employees Association, Mohd Ayoub Ashmandri of Handicrafts Union, Abdul Gani Bhat of Non-Gazetted Horticulture Employees Union, Manzoor Ahmad (Electric Employees Union), Lateefa and Mubeena of Anganwadi Workers/Helper Union, Misra and Rifat of ASHA Workers Union, Bashir Ahmad and Pervaiz Ahmad Kuchay of Construction Workers Union and Mohd Yousuf Bhat of Mid-day Meal Workers/CPWs.
The J&K State Council of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) held a protest rally and held a demonstration in front of the office of the Labour Commissioner, J&K Govt, Rail Head Complex, Jammu today and presented a charter of demands of the working class to the J&K Governor.
The protest and rally was organized as part of the programme of two-day all India strike given by the Central Federations of Trade Unions to lodge their protest against the anti-labour policies and amendments in the Labour Laws already tabled as a Bill in the Parliament, privatization of Public Sector Undertakings, merger of Public Sector Banks and in support of their demands for social security to the working class and pension scheme for the workers in the private sector.
The rally was led by the state council president, OP Sanyal, who exhorted the workers to be united and mark a beginning of the long struggle for the rights of the working class. He said that AICCTU is preparing a blue-print for countering the anti-labour policies and establishment of socialist society in J&K as well as the entire country. He said that the anti-people policy of the government has created a havoc for the unemployed persons. He said the present political system is not interested in combating the unemployment but involved in misappropriation of funds from the state exchequer and hiring of working class on cheaper rates.
Prominent Trade Union leaders, who addressed the rally included- HD Bhowmik, Sunil Salhan, Hafiz Mohammed, Rajinder Singh, Sajjad Hussain and Bodh Raj.
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