A joint meeting of six central trade unions has expressed concern that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Sayamsewak Sangh will try to divide the working class along communal lines as was done in certain segments of the labour force during the Ayodhaya vgcontroversy.
The meeting, organised under the agies of the sponsoring committee of trade unions, was attended among others by Umraomal Purohit of Hind Majdoor Sangh, M K Pandhe of Centre for Indain Trade Unions, and K L Mahendra of All Indian Trade Union Congress.
The unions pointed out that the Vajpayee government is yet to give an indication of what it wants to do about revival of sick industrial units. Though the government has talked about eradicating unemployment, it has not given priority to the agriculture workers bill, improvement of minimum wages, removal of ceiling on bonus and providing legal protection to unorganised labour, the committee has said in a press release. On the other hand, the new government has been trying to divert attention from the real issues by talking about the nuclear option and in turn creating tension with neighbouring countries.
The meeting also condemned the recent police firing on workers of Pasupati Spinning & Weaving mills in Haryana and demanded stern action against the perpetrators of the violence.
The sponsoring committee has also opposed the BJP-led governments move to go ahead with the process of privatising and disinvesting in PSUs.
