Stating that the various laws introduced by the Central government are against the interest of people, labourers and farmers, members of eight trade unions along with two farmers associations staged a demonstration at the Surampatti Four Road Junction on Friday urging the government to repeal them.
Led by K.R. Thangaraj, district president of Indian National Trade Union Congress, the participants said the laws were introduced to appease the corporates in the country. “It is the only government that enacts laws for the welfare of the corporates and against the welfare of people,” they said.
The members wanted the government to fulfil their 10 charter of demands including withdrawing the amalgamation of 44 Central labour laws into four codes and immediately repealing the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021. They wanted the government to stop privatising public sector undertakings in the name of monetisation plan, provide compensation of ₹ 7,500 to low income families, extend the MGNREGS to urban areas, implement social welfare schemes for construction workers and other labours, reduce value added taxes for petroleum products and control the rising price of essential commodities.
They also urged the government to increase investments in farming, education and healthcare by collecting property tax from persons having more assets, provide protection and insurance coverage for all frontline warriors fighting COVID-19 and also fix minimum wages and social protection for anganwadi, ASHA workers and noon-meal workers.
