23rd February 2011 will be etched in red letters in the annals of the history of Indian working class.
A campaign on a set of very important demands of the people of India, yes, of all ‘aam aadmi’, was taken up by the working class of this country. Despite differences of various kinds, the central trade unions and national federations of workers and employees in various sectors could come together on a common platform and take up these demands. It should also be noted that this was not a one time action. Under this common banner, joint activities have continued since September 2009. There have been conventions, demonstrations, rallies, court arrest programmes and above all widest campaigns in all sectors all over the country. The first phase of this struggle ended with the historic all India general strike on 7th September 2010, which saw an unprecedented unity and participation of various sections of workers and employees. Its reach was far wider than the earlier 12 countrywide strikes called by joint platforms like the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions and the National Platform of Mass Organisations.
THE MARCH TO PARLIAMENT
The decision to organise a ‘March to Parliament’ was taken in the background of all these struggles and the UPA II government in a hurry to complete their agenda of neo-liberal reforms, striking at the very root of the lives of the toiling masses. This was meant to be the beginning of the second phase of struggles. It was considered appropriate to organise the ‘March to Parliament’ during the budget session. Though the policy declarations as part of the budget speech have lost their importance as they used to be, the budget session still kindles a lot of discussions on policy issues.
The charter of demands raised by the trade unions includes issues that are being discussed in various forums - national and international. Price rise and the connected issues of universal public distribution, ban on futures trading in essential commodities are issues being raised all over the world. So also are the issues of employment, social security and privatisation of public sector industries and enterprises. The question of trade union rights and implementation of labour laws has become a burning national issue for the workers as the MNCs and even `national’ investors refuse to respect our statutes. Even as the ILO and various other International forums are discussing decent labour and the ILO is observing a decade on decent labour contractorisation and the `outsourcing ‘ continue to expand as the most exploitative methods of recruitment of workers.
Thus the issues taken up for the countrywide campaign and the ‘March to Parliament’ are the issues of national importance. Workers and employees from all parts of the country covering all sectors participated in this biggest ever mobilisation by trade unions, for that matter by any organisation, on the streets of the national capital.
However, the ruling classes made all attempts, as reflected in the so called national media, to blackout the event altogether or to divert attention from the basic issues raised by the participants in the ‘March’. For many of them, it was only an issue of traffic disruptions.
A few who wanted to be `true’ to their profession, gave a small space, only in the local edition. None of them - whether print or electronic, found the ‘March’, or the issues raised by it, as of any national importance.
THE CENTRAL BUDGET
Within five days of this huge ‘March to Parliament’ by the workers, the UPA II government presented its budget for the year 2011-12. Except the issue of implementation of labour laws, all the other four issues are part of the `policy’ statements of UPA government.
Yet, what has the government done? What was its response? It unleashed further attacks on the lives of people, with even the existing subsidies being reduced. The Congress led UPA II government is going ahead with its own agenda of targeting and confining the subsidies to the so-called BPL category. The talk of direct cash payment and expert committee reports on subsidies is only meant to cover up the fact of reducing the PDS to a mere farce.
The government of India, which claims of a Tax neutral budget, has set a target of Rs 40000 crores from disinvestment. Employment generation does not find a place in the budget documents at all. While Rs 1000 crores was allotted for social security for the unorganised sector workers in the last budget, this budget provides nothing for it.
NO TO THE WORKERS
The UPA II government has totally failed to take note of the demands of the workers. It has refused to pay heed to the simmering anger of the working class that was evident in the streets of Delhi on 23rd February! It is a virtual `No’ to the tens of millions of workers and employees, whose representatives demanded justice!
The memorandum submitted to the Speaker of Lok Sabha after the ‘March to Parliament’ noted - ‘the government is not only ignoring the overwhelming protest of all sections of working people of the country, but also relentlessly pursuing the same policies which accentuate price rise, like deregulation of petroleum prices, continuing indulgence and patronisation to speculative trade in commodity market and allowing huge stockpile and food grains in FCI godowns to rot”.
WAY AHEAD
Now, it is for the trade unions to take stock of the situation. We have to understand fully the issues that are involved in this struggle. It is a struggle against the policies of neo-liberalism. It is a fight against the finance capital led attacks on the livelihood of the working people. These issues are related to the present capitalist system. The struggle on these demands is a struggle against the policies of the ruling classes. Working people have to be mobilised with this clear understanding.
In this struggle against the policies of neoliberalism, the working people in the country have to be educated to identify their friends and foes. The struggle of the working class can be strengthened only by strengthening all those forces allied to it; the forces who have been relentlessly fighting these policies. Working class and their organisations will have to strengthen their ties with such forces that are in struggle on identical demands.
The unity of the working people who marched together in Delhi on 23rd February, irrespective of organisational, regional, linguistic and other differences has to be developed further. Such unity and united actions alone will ensure that social justice and equity are achieved.
Courtesy: www.citucentre.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment