CITU activists set fire to Centre's effigy

Patancheru: CITU State Council Member Panduranga Reddy and leaders Wajid Ali alleged here on Wednesday that the Central government was weakening labour laws by extending support to corporate forces. They were speaking during a demonstration by CITU near local bus-stand on the national highway. The activists set fire to an effigy of Central government to protest against its policies.

The leaders stated that the government was to present in Parliament on Wednesday two laws on the Minimum Wages Act and Factories Act, which would hit the interests of workers. They claimed that the session was being extended to pave the way for approving the laws. They pointed out that already the Modi government had got a proposal ready fixing Rs 178 as the minimum wage a day. This, they pointed out, should be strongly opposed.

The leaders expressed concern how a worker could survive on a monthly wage of Rs 4,620 and demanded payment of Rs 18,000 as the minimum wage. They wanted the Centre to drop the proposal to amend the labour laws, while warning of staging large-scale agitations. Among those who took part in the protest were CITU leaders Nageswar Rao, Srinivas Rao, Gangadhar, Srinivas, Hanumanth Goud.