Bms Men In Team To World Labour Meet

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), a Rashtriya Swayam-sewak Sangh affiliate, has succeeded in forcing the Union government to have adequate number of its representatives in the Indian delegation to the World Annual Labour Conference in Geneva beginning June 2.

Union labour minister Satyanarayan Jatia, a former BMS activist, has played a key role in taking up the cause of the trade union, a labour ministry source said. Jatia is reported to have told the Prime Minister's Office that the delegation must have adequate representatives of the trade union to present India's case at the world forum. He even offered to stay out to accommodate a trade union representative, the source said adding that the PMO favoured a smaller delegation but conceded to Jatia's demand.

The Indian industry has been facing stiff competition from abroad due to certain labour laws under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The RSS leaders are of the view that the trade union must be given a chance to represent its case and forward the parivar's swadeshi agenda.

BMS working president Venugopal told Business Standard before leaving for Geneva yesterday that the government's reason for not including a trade union representative in the delegation was due to ignorance. "The government does not fully understand the importance of the world labour conference," he added.

The international labour conference's agenda is to debate on future convention and recommendation on eliminating extreme forms of child labour.

India is eligible to be represented by a 24-member delegation, but it has kept the size small because of financial constraints. The trade unions have been arguing that India's voice at the world forum must be strengthened through trade unions representatives.