The unions have given the call for the stir on issues of

price rise and violation of labour laws. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Harbhajan Singh Sidhu, General Secretary, Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), said the government's only assurance was that the demands of the unions will be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting. "They said that they will discuss these demands in next Cabinet meeting. But we have some very valid demands...The government should implement the labour laws first. It is shameful to say that the government could not give at least this much of assurance," he said. Sidhu said that at least five of their demands could have been met by the Union Labour Minister himself. "We are ashamed to say that none of these 10 demands could be accepted by the government. Five of these demands could have been implemented by the Labour Minister himself... The government has no way to suggest how they will put a break on this rising inflation also," he said. Thanking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for inviting the unions for talks, he said, "But no one is listening to the demands of the people who are hurt by inflation." The strike has been called by Bhartiya Mazdoor Sabha, INTUC, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), HMS, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) among others. The Independent Federation of Workers and Employees has also joined the protest call.