Port Blair, May 30: Foundation Day of CITU was observed in Andaman & Nicobar Islands today (30.05.2023) by organizing various programmes. CITU A & N State Committee organized a Seminar on “Challenges before Working Class” at 4 p.m. at Shaheed Bhavan, Anarkali, Port Blair. R. Surendran Pillai, President, CITU State Committee presided over the Seminar and briefly explained the activities of CITU in the islands over the years. D. Ayyappan, Vice President, CITU State Committee was the main speaker in the Seminar.
Speaking on the occasion, D. Ayyappan said that the working class in the country is facing various challenges particularly since the last two decades. He said that the BJP-led central government is trying to implement the 4 Labour Codes by merging all the existing labor laws despite stiff opposition from the combined central trade unions. Efforts are being made by BJP-ruled States to increase the working hours from 8 hours to 10 hours or 12 hours. The BJP-led central government is bent upon to speed up the privatization of public sector undertakings at the cost of lakhs of workers and employees working in it.
He said that regular jobs are being outsourced or contractorised. Casualisation, contractorisation and apprenticisation of the workforce in the formal sector are being encouraged by the government. He further said that corporations are being allowed to practice anti-labour activities. Labour laws are not being implemented at the behest of corporate in the country.
He further said that BJP and various other outfits are intensifying their attempt for communal polarization in the country. Attempts are being made to convert India into a rabidly majoritarian “Hindu Rashtra” subverting our secular traditions and the Constitution. He further said that whatever rights the workers could achieve in the past are products of class struggle and not a gift of humanitarian ethics of rulers.
Speaking on the occasion, senior leader D. Laxman Rao explained the struggles conducted by the working class in these islands. SL Vinjit, Assistant General Secretary, Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association also greeted the participants in the Seminar. SP Kalairajan, Secretary, CITU State Committee proposed vote of thanks.
M. Boominathan and BC Bhattacherjee, Vice Presidents of CITU State Committee, P. Sathyapal, Anand Rajan, M. Yugandar, Secretaries of CITU State Committee were also present on the occasion. A large number of workers from various unions at Port Blair participated in the programme.
To observe the CITU Foundation Day, Diglipur Zonal Committee organized a meeting at CITU Office, Diglipur which was addressed by Sunil Bepari, President and Barun Biswas, Secretary, Zonal Committee.
