Press Statement for Favour of Publication
The following statement was issued by the joint platform of Central Trade Unions today on 20th May 2021
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has given a call to observe 26th may, 2021 as a Black Day for Indian Democracy. That is the day Narendra Modi Government took oath of office in 2014 and then again on 30th May in 2019. 26th May is the day when the Chalo Dilli Kisan Andolan completes 6 months. It is also the day when the All India Strike called by the Central Trade Unions on their continued demands for cash transfer to poor families, universally free rations to all needy, expansion of MGNREGA and new employment scheme for urban areas, against privatisation of PSUs and government departments, for scraping NPS and restoration of earlier pension scheme etc., becomes 6 month old.
The call to observe that day as a Black Day is because the Modi Government that has been in office continuously for the past seven years has not only failed to deliver on the tall promises made while assuming office, but is actually acting against the wishes of the toiling people with impunity, it is acting in a blatantly irresponsible manner in the face of the terrible second wave of the Corona pandemic, all on the basis of a brute majority in the Lok Sabha.
• It has simply disowned its responsibility in tackling the Corona pandemic and asked the States to provide the medical help to the bewildered population: shortages of vaccine doses, oxygen, hospital beds, even cremation facilities are alarming, with irresponsible announcements of vaccinating 18-44 age group, only to be withdrawn subsequently, shows that the Government is completely in the dark about what needs to be done in this hour of grave crisis. There is criminal negligence on the part of Government towards front line fighters of this dreaded virus.
• The Government is actually using the pandemic period to push through legislations that are tailored only for the benefit of the Corporates, be it the three Farm Laws or the 4 Labour Codes or privatisation of everything in the Government or Public Sector such as railways, port and dock assets, coal where more than 500 blocks were identified to be auctioned more than 40 were auctioned out of which 39 went to adani, medanta etc. 6 airports were sold on throw away prices to private players. All production units in defence and railways to be corporatized, banks, insurance and even retail opened to foreign direct investement, BPCL, MTNL, Steel, mineral mines and several other public sector undertakings on radar. NITI Aayog has identified 100 such undertakings to be monetized, a new term coined for privatisation/sale of these undertakings.
• It is the toiling people in the unorganised sector, including migrant workers, who need life saving support in terms of food grains, cash subsidy and employment. It is the duty of the Government to mobilise resources for this gigantic task: using FCI stocks, taxing the rich, insuring front-line fighter, providing funds for MGREGA, bringing in similar employment guarantee scheme for urban areas and so on. The Government has become paralytic on all these fronts.
• The Government is passing laws that nobody has demanded, be it Farm Laws, Labour Codes, CAA, New Education Policy, persuing blancket privatisation policy and so on, while refusing to concede any popular demands such as enactment of a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price for the Farm Produce, bringing Petrol/Diesel under the GST regime, etc.
• While the Government has no funds to tackle Covid pandemic, it is shamelessly going ahead with "Central Vista Project", costing Rs.20000 Cr, supposedly to rebuild a new Parliament Building, floating non-transparent funds such as PMCARES, Electoral Bonds, while, in practice behaving in the most undemocratic way – for example, arresting anyone for criticising the Government, refusing to hold tripartite consultations, blatantly using Constitutional Agencies to frighten and browbeat any opposition, as seen from the use of CBI, ED, NIA, Supreme Court, RBI, Election Commission, State Governors against political opponents, engineering defections and undermining elected state governments with the use of money power and use of these Agencies.
This list can be added to. It is time to call a spade a spade. We begin by observing 26th May as the Black Day for Indian Democracy, wearing black badges, putting up black flags.
We resolve on this day, not to rest till we achieve our demands, not to rest till a message is driven home that the toiling people will not remain passive bystanders, watching the Modi Government do as they please. We demand:
1. Free vaccine for all,
2. Strengthen the Government run Public Health System at all levels,
3. Immediate help to all unorganized/informal sector workers and unemployed people in terms of free food grains and cash subsidy of Rs.7500/- per month,
4. Repeal 3 Farm Laws, withdraw Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, enact law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price of farm produce,
5. Withdraw 4 Labour Codes along with draft central rules and convene Indian Labour Conference immediately,
6. Put a stop to policy of privatisation/corporatization of PSUs and Government departments,
7. Withdraw all arbitrary suspension of 38 labor laws for a period of 3 years by the states ruled by BJP and its allies openly violating the international labor standards i:e freedom of association convention 87, violation of collective bargaining convention 98, convention 144 tripartite meeting and consultations etc.
All the affiliates of 10 central trade unions and all likeminded free independent unions/federations be ready for indefinite direct action in future. Mobilize the rank and file of the unions and the people, update them about anti labor, anti farmer, anti people, anti national policies of the Central Government of India.
INTUC AITUC HMS CITU AIUTUC
TUCC SEWA AICCTU LPF UTUC
And Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations
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