Bharat Bandh: Unions claim response unprecedented, hope govt wakes up
that of the four senior ministers engaged to talk to the unions by the Prime Minister, Finance Minister P Chidambaram was conspicuous by his absence in the meeting with whom several demands related to his ministry were to be discussed. It only gives rise to the suspicion that it was a make-up show," the AITUC general secretary said.
Dasgupta also dared West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to declare the strike as illegal, saying "if she is so confident that because of strike , somebody can be made illegal, let her do it in West Bengal... we will face it."
Right to strike is guaranteed by the Constitution and nobody can declare illegal, he said.
The two-day strike has been called up 11 central trade unions to press for their 10-point charter of demands which include pensions for everyone along with removal of ceiling on bonus and provident fund.
The unions are also protesting the price hike, inflation and alleged violation of labour laws.
The strike has been called jointly by the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), All India Trade union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) and other such organisations.
The Independent Federation of Workers and Employees have also joined the protests.
Referring to the Rs 20,000 crore loss pegged due to the strike , Dasgupta said, "the loss is because of the government and its policy and not the trade unions."
"May I ask
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