The Union government is raising emotional issues, like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the abrogation of Article 370, to turn people’s attention away from pressing issues following the economic slowdown, said general secretary of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Amarjith Kaur here on Saturday.
Talking to reporters, Ms. Kaur said trade unions are coming together on January 8 to hold a nationwide general strike to express their resentment over the Centre’s actions.
Ms. Kaur said the Narendra Modi government during its first five years gave a big blow to more than 10 lakh micro and small industries units and business establishments with the demonetisation move.
The chaotic implementation of the Goods and Services Tax added to the hardship of these industrial and business establishments, she said.
The Union government also took up codification of 44 laws related to wages, industrial relations, safety and social security that goes against the interest of the working class and favoured capitalists and it was ignoring rights of the working class and making trade unions irrelevant, she alleged.
In the second term, the Narenda Modi government was pushing for privatisation of government sector enterprises.
The railway platforms were being auctioned and the airports were being handed over to private companies. The merger of BSNL and MTNL would benefit private players in the telecom sector, she said.
The Union government, she said, was not taking steps to address problems resulting from the economic slowdown.
Ms. Kaur said that by holding the general strike on January 8 the trade unions and other organisations would send a strong message to the Centre that they could not go ahead with policies that are detrimental to the people and the country.
