Workers’ Massive March to Indian Parliament

Workers’ Massive March to Parliament

The participation of workers in the joint trade union ‘March to Parliament’ was beyond all expectations making the preparations inadequate. Around 50000 workers from all the central trade unions and many industrial federations including those of state and central government employees, defence, insurance, banks, telecom etc gathered near the Parliament on 20th December. This massive response demonstrated the determination of the workers to continue the united struggle on the 10 point charter of demands, including the two day’s country wide general strike on 20 – 21 February 2013. The urge for unity irrespective of their political affiliations was clearly visible.

Most of these workers and employees were from the neighbouring states of Delhi like Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. But workers and employees also came from far off states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar etc though the call was for mobilisation from the near by states only. Large number of workers from the industrial areas surrounding Delhi including the workers of Maruti Suzuki and others participated in the rally along with anganwadi employees, ASHAs, railway gang men, transport workers, electricity workers etc.

The March to Parliament was the culmination of 2 days countrywide jail bharo agitation on 18-19 December in which lakhs of workers and employees courted arrest all over the country. Congratulating the working class for the huge participation in the ‘March to Parliament’, a joint statement issued by the central trade unions stated that the unprecedented participation and the enthusiasm of the participants showed the anger of the workers against the anti worker policies of the government.

A presidium with representatives of all the central trade unions including AK Padmanabhan, president of CITU conducted the meeting. Tapan Sen (CITU), Gurudas Dasgupta (AITUC), B. N. Rai (BMS), Ashok Singh (INTUC), R. A. Mittal (HMS), Satyawan (AIUTUC), Swapan Mukherjee (AICCTU), Ashok Singh (UTUC), S. P. Tiwari (TUCC), Shanmugham (LPF) and the representative from SEWA addressed the gathering.

The meeting moved a separate resolution condemning the recent heinous rape and assault on a 23 year old girl in Delhi and against the increasing violence against women in the country, especially the capital city and the failure of the administration to provide security to its citizens.

It also adopted a resolution in support of the struggle of the workers in the Manesar plant of Maruti Suzuki. The resolution demanded reinstatement of all workers who were terminated illegally and withdrawal of the false cases against the workers.