The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions, independent sectoral Federations and Associations congratulates the farmers of India who are relentlessly fighting demanding repeal of the three farm laws, withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021 and for legally guaranteed MSP since more than nine months, under the leadership of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM).
They also congratulated the SKM for its mammoth rally in Muzaffarnagar on 5th September 2021, launching the ‘Mission Uttar Pradesh’ and ‘Mission Uttarakhand’. The SKM has called for the defeat the incumbent governments in these states, which are not only implementing the anti- farmer, anti-people and anti-worker neoliberal policies but also trying to create divisions among the people and polarise society on communal lines, to weaken united struggles. Ignoring the Writing on the walls bound to spell the doom of the Central Government.
The conduct of the Central Government in its second term not only shows its complete disconnect with the demands of the toiling people, it seems to be deliberately using this period of pandemic to hurry through its pro- corporate agenda as if there is no tomorrow. The Platform condemns, along with the SKM, the Modi Government’s move to announce “National Monetisation Pipeline”, that is meant to hand over the people’s wealth to its corporate cronies. It is bound to burden the common masses with run- away price-rise, which has already become unbearable. Its latest move to tax even the interest in EPF accounts of workers is shocking.
The Platform takes note that there is wide support to the farmers agitation from the Trade Unions, along with other sections of the toiling people: the agricultural labour, students, youth and women. It has become a movement representing broad democratic aspirations of the people of India.
The recent incidents in Karnal, Haryana are condemnable and show the true face of the ruling party there. The Platform supports the programme announced by the SKM to gherao Haryana Mini Secretariat with a demand to act against the concerned Government official and compensate those affected by the brutal lathis charge 28th August.
The trade unions also express their gratitude for the SKM’s support to the struggle of the working class against the anti-worker labour codes.
The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent sectoral federations/associations fully support the call of the SKM for observing ‘Bharat Bandh’ on 27th September 2021 and calls upon the entire working class, who are themselves fighting against the four labour codes, privatisation of PSUs in Banks, Insurance, Steel, Electricity, Coal, Petroleum, Defence, Railways, Ports, Air India, Airports, Telecom, Postal Dept, Space Science and Nuclear Science etc. are demanding universalisation of PDS, increase in MGNREGA budget, to ensure its total success through solidarity actions.
The ‘Bharat Bandh’ on 27th September will give an emphatic message to the ruling party in the Central Government that the peasants and the working class, the two major sections that are the backbone of our society stand united in opposing its anti-people and anti-national policies.
The ‘Bharat Bandh’ will be a strong warning to the present ruling party in the government that its machinations for communal polarisation, to disrupt unity of the people and weaken their struggles, to facilitate corporate loot and serve its masters and donors, within and outside the country, will not be allowed by the patriotic people of this country.
The Joint Platform of Trade Unions asserts that this united struggle will continue till the three farm laws and the four labour codes are scrapped and the attempts of the government to sell the country through its privatisation drive and NMP are stopped.
And Independent Sectoral Federations and Associations
