BHUVANESHWAR: Strongly opposing the disinvestment policy of UPA Government, country’s largest labour union the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), decided to hold nationwide protest against the disinvestment in profit making Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). The protest will be organised in October. The BMS also urged the Government to revive the sick units immediately.
“BMS will observe “Save Public Sector Week” from October 21 to 28 October by holding protest rallies, staging dharnas, etc all over the country. Through the protests the workers and public opinion will be mobilised against disinvestment. This is the prominent decision taken at our 128th Central Executive meeting in Bhubaneswar from August 23 to 25,” informed BMS general secretary Shri Baijnath Rai while talking to Organiser correspondent in Bhubaneswar. Expressing concern over the economic situation of the country, he called upon the government to stop economic reforms and to adopt the swadeshi model of economic development.
BMS president Shri CK Saji Narayanan, inaugurated the meeting organised at the Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti campus in the presence of RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosbole, general secretary Shri Baijnath Rai, organising secretary Shri Krushna Mishra, joint secretary Shri B Surendran. All central leaders and central executive members were present at the meeting. Various labour related issues were deliberated in the three-day meeting and resolutions were passed on saving the PSU’s, current economic situation and amendment in the MGNREGA.
Speaking at the inaugural session Shri CK Saji Narayanan reminded the delegates the responsible role that the BMS has to play in the current situation. “The UPA Government’s wrong policies are responsible for the current financial situation in the country. We are passing through a difficult phase, where employment is reducing and workers are losing their jobs. Central Government is disinvesting from the Public Sector undertakings and foreign debts are also increasing day by day,” he emphasised.
He said, “The UPA government is under immense pressure from International Monetary Fund, World Bank, credit rating agencies, capitalist countries and from Indian corporate lobbies. High level corruption is also causing loss to public exchequer. We should opt for swadeshi model of economic development, and certainly not the globalisation.”
Guiding the delegates at the meeting Shri Dattatreya Hosbole said, “Public awareness is needed to overcome the present situation of the country. Being a mass organisation, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has an important role to play. The BMS is a unique labour organisation. It is all like a family organisation.”
The resolution passed regarding economic situation of the country expressed concern over the increasing trade deficit of India and falling value of rupee. “Ten years of UPA Government have resulted in collapse of the Indian economy. The Economic Survey 2012-13 bought out among others two shocking reports about our economy. First one is that India’s trade deficit is the highest since 1950. Second is that India which was the second fastest growing country in the world before the UPA government came to power has now come to 3rdposition,” the resolution said.
“Indian Rupee has fallen more than 1/3rd of its value. The Prime Minister and Finance Minister are groping in the dark without an acceptable explanation. In 2008 April-May, Raghuram Rajan Export Committee appointed by the Planning Commission recommended adoption of the Wall Street model speculative (share market) banking practices of the west called ‘Casino Capitalism’ in India as a part of ‘Gen Next Reform’. Raghuram Rajan is now being appointed as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India under international pressure. We are heading for a debt trap. Now it is about 22 lakh crore of rupees. The depreciation of rupee will increase this enormously. Forty per cent of this debt is incurred by Indian corporates by borrowing at low interest rate from abroad. But the repayment is done at the expense of common man,” the resolution said.
“The Indian economy today shows pre crisis symptoms. The corrective measures taken by the UPA government are anti-poor and pro-MNCs. Common man, the villager, farmer and the workers have been marginalised in the UPA regime. Only solution for the present crisis is to vitialise the real sector i.e. manufacturing and agriculture sector which are the major job creating sectors. Social spending or subsidising the poor is to be considered the essential aspect of development,” the resolution further said.
Shri Baijnath Rai said the country’s huge revenue deficit, fiscal deficit and foreign deficit were the results of poor economic management of the government. Cutting subsidies of the poor and giving exception to the big corporate and foreign investors is the policy of the present UPA Government. It seems Government is dancing to the tunes of international capitalist forces and big corporate. “The BMS demands to raise domestic investment by strengthening manufacturing sector. Government should announce stimulus package for manufacturing and agricultural sectors, and collect tax arrears from corporate companies. BMS also demands government not to avail secret loan from IMF, and to stop discussion on FTAs with other countries. Government should stop encouraging FDI and impose capital control on foreign companies and investors. BMS also demands to regulate petroleum price and price of other essential articles,” Shri Rai added.
The forthcoming triennial convention of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh will be held in Jaipur from February 21 to 23, 2014. The delegates from all over the country and all sectors of the industries will participate. Distinguished national and international eminent personalities will also witness the programme.
The National Executive has also decided to organise nationwide protest on November 22 at block headquarters to register protest against poor implementation of rural development schemes like MGNREGA, Asha, Anganwadi, midday meal, etc.
Major demands in resolutions
- Give all thrust to real sector, i.e manufacturing and agriculture sectors.
- Raise domestic investment by strengthening manufacturing sector.
- Announce stimulus package for manufacturing and agriculture sectors, and for infrastructure developments thereby creating j, obs.
- Subsidies the poor and farmers.
- Collect tax arrears of and impose tax strictly on corporate and rich people.
- Stop encouraging FDI and impose capital control on foreigncompanies and investors.
- Don’t avail secret loan from IMF.
- Regulate petroleum price and price of essential articles.
- Stop discussions on FTAs with other countries and safe guard foreign trade.
- Control share market and prevent innocent people losing money in it.
- Take measures to stop corruption at all levels and bring back money from outside.
- Reinstate governance for the people.
- MGNREGA workers should also be deployed in agriculture sector, as it will reduce the cost of crop produced by farmers. Through this way the MGNREGA workers can also get work for more days.
(Report by Samanwaya Nanda in Organiser)
