Bjp Ally Is Not Too Happy

The Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh, a central trade union associated with the Sangh Parivar, is totally opposed to some of the views expressed in the manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

We are against disinvestment of government stakes in all public sector undertakings. We do not distinguish between strategic and non-strategic PSUs on the issue of disinvestment, Hasubhai Dave, BMS general secretary, told Business Standard.

Daves reaction is significant because the BMS provides substantially large cadre to the BJP during election time. Though the BMS does not official involve itself in election work, its cadre are drawn into the vortex of campaign because of their close linkages with the RSS.

 

The BJP manifesto has said that the party will disinvest government control in non-strategic PSUs and permit the entry of private Indian companies into the insurance sector.

We are also opposed to opening up the insurance industry to private sector. BJPs views are not necessarily ours as we are an independent trade union, Dave said.

The talk of disinvestment has also invoked sharp reaction from other central trade unions, all of whom resolved at a meeting last month to oppose the policy of disinvestment.

The central unions have jointly called for dismantling the disinvestment commission.

The BJP is actually supporting the Congress viewpoint when it talks about disinvesting non-strategic PSUs. It is also endorsing the views of the disinvestment commission. All central unions are opposed to disinvestment in any form, Swadesh Deve Roye, secretary of Centre for Indian Trade Unions, said.

There is, however, not much opposition in the trade union movement to other points made in the manifesto like recognising trade unions on the basis of secret ballot, introduction of worker participation from shopfloor to boardroom and strengthening the institutional mechanism for providing quick redressal to labour grievances.