Protest continues on second day of trade unions' strike
Workers led by CITU staging a dharna in front of Hanumakonda Collectorate on Tuesday
Warangal: Protests all over erstwhile Warangal district continued on the second day of the two-day nationwide strike call given by the Forum of Trade Unions here on Tuesday.
The CITU workers in large numbers tried to lay siege to Hanumakonda Collectorate as part of the nationwide strike. Speaking at the protest, CITU State secretary Paladugu Bhaskar accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of doing slavery to the corporate and multinational companies.
CPM Hanumakonda secretary M Chukkaiah demanded the Centre to stop selling off public sector units (PSUs) which leaves thousands of workers jobless. CITU district secretary Ragula Ramesh questioned the Centre's rationale behind transforming the labour laws into four codes - Wages, Industrial Relations Code, Social Security Code and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code –are detrimental to the interests of the working class. It's a move to benefit the corporate houses, he added.
The leaders demanded the Centre to establish a board for the welfare of the unorganised sector. They also demanded the Centre to increase the minimum wage to Rs 26,000 a month. D Vijay Bhaskar, Marri Yadava Reddy (TRS), Gade Prabhakar Reddy(CITU) and Errabelli Swarna were among others present.
Meanwhile, the employees of Telangana State Power Employees Joint Action Committee (TSPEJAC) held a protest at the NPDCL Bhavan here , seeking withdrawal of Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021 as part of the nationwide protest.
Besides demanding scrapping of the bill, the employees also asked the government to do away with standard bidding document for total privatisation of distribution of electricity. The other demands included – filling of vacant posts, reinstating old pension system and lifting of franchisee system etc.
Speaking at the dharna, Warangal DCC president Naini Rajender Reddy, who extended solidarity with the workers of TSPEJAC, demanded the BJP-led Central government not to work for the benefit of corporate houses. He demanded the Centre to withdraw the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 with immediate effect.
"The Centre has become an agent for the capitalists. The Narendra Modi government is more interested in promoting the corporate houses rather than the welfare of the working class. The policies it brought in reflect the kind of governance provided by the BJP government," Naini said. Senior leaders E Venkatram Reddy, Md Ayub and Bommanapally Ashok Reddy were among others present.