New Delhi
Central trade unions who have called for a nationwide strike on Wednesday, January 8, said that over 25 crore will be participating in the shutdown. The Bharat Bandh, which is being supported by trade unions such as INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC, has been called to protest against the government’s policies which are ‘anti-people’.
Bharat Bandh on January 8 – All You Need To Know
1.) Various trade unions along with a few federations had adopted a resolution in September 2019 that they will go on a countrywide strike on January 8, 2020.
2.) A joint statement issued by the central trade unions said that nearly 25 crore are expected to join the strike against the “anti-worker, anti-people, anti-national policies of the Government”. “The Ministry of Labour has failed to assure on any of the demands of workers which called a meeting on January 2, 2020. The attitude of the government is that of contempt towards labour as we construe from its policies and actions,” the statement added.
3.) The unions raised criticised the government over privatisation of major installations such as Air India and decision to sell Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). They said that the merger of BSNL-MTNL has thrown thousands of people out of jobs. Over 93,000 telecom workers are already thrown out of jobs under the garb of Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), they added.
4.) Merger of banks, corporatisation of 49 defence production units and privatisation of railways are some of the other issues raised by the central trade unions.
5.) A few student organisations have also announced their support to Bharat Bandh against fee hike and ‘commercialisation’ of education.
Meanwhile, the Left has also announced support for the Bharat Bandh and appealed people to join in large numbers. CPI general secretary D Raja said the shutdown has been called to draw attention of the poor economy and agrarian crisis under the BJP-led NDA government.
“We appeal to people to see through diversionary and divisive tactics of the government and make the proposed strike and bandh a success,” Raja said during a press conference in New Delhi.
