CITU to stage protests in Himachal against Centre’s ‘pro-capitalist’ policies

Shimla, July 7

The district committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) will be staging protests against the alleged anti-employee, anti-labour, anti-farmer and anti-people policies of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central Government on the call of the state committee on July 18 in Shimla, Rampur and Rohru.

This was decided in the meeting of the committee held here today under the chairmanship of CITU district president Kuldeep Dogra.

During the meeting, CITU state president Vijendra Mehra said due to the “neoliberal” and “pro-capitalist” policies of the Centre, unemployment, poverty, inequality and the livelihood crisis were rising.

“People are suffering due to inflation as rates of petrol, diesel, LPG and food items are rising sharply,” he added.

CITU, with these demonstrations, will demanded a minimum wage of Rs 26,000 per month and ensured pensions for all workers.

They will also demand that the government repeal the four “anti-labour” laws, including the Electricity Amendment Bill, and put a stop to cuts in wages and benefits such as the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) and the Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI) for workers.

Furthermore, the body called for comprehensive social security for workers of the unorganised sector, job security for contract workers equivalent to regular employees, reinstating OPS for Centre and state government boards and corporations, and implementing a minimum pension of Rs 9,000.

CITU will also advocate for the regularisation and social security for Anganwadi, ASHA and mid-day meal workers, reinstating and registering economic benefits in the Labour Welfare Board for MNREGA and construction workers, declaring Scheduled Employment for STP workers, and formulating policies for outsourced and hospital workers. Mehra said CITU would intensify its protests against these policies of the Central Government. He appealed to the workers, as well as the general public, to join the movement.