A nationwide strike called by the Joint Committee of Trade Union (JCTU) to protest the anti-labor policies, new farm Bills, and New Education Policy 2020 of the Union government evoked poor response in Kalaburagi district on Thursday.
Commercial establishments across the city functioned as usual, and autorickshaws and buses continued to operate bringing relief to the public.
Though the situation was peaceful in the city, the police made elaborate security arrangements to prevent any untoward incidents.
Members of All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All-India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), India National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), National Centre for Labour (NCL), and Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) and Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha (KVS) took part in the protest and formed a human chain at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Chowk staged and marched towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
They staged a demonstration and submitted a memorandum with a charter of demands to the government through Deputy the Commissioner.
The students’ organisation raised slogans against the New Education Policy and demanded that it be revoked forthwith. The policy would not only throw the present education system into disarray, but it would also open doors to private players in the education sector, and poor students who solely depend on State-run educational institutes would be deprived of education, they said.
The agitators urged the State government to oppose the three language policy proposed in NEP-2020, and continue with two language policy, the States should be allowed to decide.
The unions also demanded expansion of (MNREGA) scheme to provide 200 days of work and also extend the scheme to labourers in urban areas.
The demand also included a cash transfer of ₹7,700 per month for all non-income taxpaying families and 10 kg free ration per month through Public Distribution System to the needy, withdrawal of the draconian circular on forced premature retirement of government and public sector undertaking employees and pension to all by scrapping National Pension System, and restoration old pension scheme.
