Workers
Massacred In National Capital – Central & State Governments To Blame For
Death Of These Workers !!
New Delhi,
11 December 2019 : AICCTU protested against the recent killing of workers in
Delhi’s Anaj Mandi Area. This is one of the biggest industrial accidents
in recent times. However the Central & State governments have miserably
failed in addressing the situation and putting an end to the abysmal working
conditions in India’s national capital.
Starting the
protest march from Civil Lines Trauma Centre, hundreds of workers marched
towards the residences of Delhi CM & LG. The protesters sat outside CM
residence and submitted memorandum to the CM and the LG.
The protest
was done as part of National Protest Day called by AICCTU. Protest rallies and
programmes were carried out in various states including Delhi, Bihar, UP,
Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal etc.
Rajiv Dimri,
National General Secretary of AICCTU, while addressing the protesters outside
Delhi CM’s residence said, “This is not an accident but a massacre of
workers within few kilometres of Indian Parliament and Delhi State Assembly.
While the big and powerful relish the comfort of their bungalows and cars, the
working class is condemned to die in factory fires, sewers or construction
sites. This situation is mostly because of anti-people governments ruling our
country.”
Eyewitnesses
Claim Casualties To Be Much Higher Than 43 !!
Though the
official figure of total deaths remains around 50, the eyewitnesses of the
incident claimed that the actual figures were much higher around 100. It remains a matter of
grave concern that in such incidents the government officials keep understating
the figures and never bother to investigate the claim figures put forward by
workers and local eyewitnesses.
Workers Only
Live To Die Because Of Anti-Worker Policies In India’s National Capital:
Fire In Factories And Bellies Continue To Kill Hundreds Of Workers
Within Few Kilometres Of Indian Parliament !!
Oblivious to
the miseries of working class people in the national capital, the Central and
State Governments continue to cause deaths of hundreds of workers because of
their policies which give free hand to employers/ business owners. Though the
Prime Minister has expressed his feelings for the workers, it is very well
known that the Modi Government is actually helping factory owners and big
industrialists by abolishing labour laws and doing away with existing
mechanisms of checking violations by factory owners.
Mr Prakash
Javadekar, a minister in the incumbent Modi government proudly announced from
his twitter handle that NOCs from Labour Department would no longer be a
pre-requisite for industries in Delhi!
Thus, the words of ‘grief’ as expressed by the PM have no significance
other than demonstrating the hypocrisy and anti-labour, anti-people outlook of
the Modi Government. One cannot abolish labour laws and at the same time ‘cry’
for the death of workers.
Hundreds of
thousands of workers had had to leave Delhi or starve because of the Modi
Government’s policies and an overall economic downslide. Several hundred
continue to die in factory fires or inside sewers within just few kilometres of
the Parliament – where MPs from ruling coalition parties and Congress, AAP etc.
(except few from the Left) have actually voted in favour of abolishing labour
laws or refrained from opposing the changes being brought by the Modi
Government. It is because of aggressively pushed ‘labour reforms’ and disregard for lives of the poor masses
that these workers have died – in fact it would be very accurate to say that
these workers have been killed because of government’s love for big business
and collusion with capital to take away all labour rights, however inadequate
they might have been.
These Incidents
Must Stop – Labour Minister Must Resign
Comrade
Santosh Roy, President, AICCTU Delhi said,
“The
Delhi CM is busy collecting money from industrialists, and the PM is busy in
dismantling labour laws for his corporate bosses. Both of them have blood on
their hands. Delhi’s Labour Minister, Gopal Rai is still in deep sleep, we
demand his resignation for failing to protect the lives of these workers.”
The Road
Ahead : Blame Game Won’t Help The Cause Of Workers
Like always
this incident has again started a blame game between the Modi And the Kejriwal
governments. However, none of them claim to be on the side of the workers, it
is very well established that both the ruling parties (BJP & AAP) are more
than willing to sacrifice workers in order to ensure the well-being of
employers/ factory owners, who give huge donations to these parties.
Some
demands put forward by the protesters are as follows –
1.
Immediately bring to halt the cases of workers’ death due to factory fires,
strictly implement labour laws in Delhi. Stop toeing the line of Modi
Government on abolition of labour laws.
2. The
Labour Minister, Mr Gopal Rai must resign because of his inabilities and
unwillingness to implement labour laws and in stopping ghastly incidents
related to factory fires, sewer deaths etc.
3. Families
of dead workers should be immediately provided a relief of Rs 50 lakhs and one
member from each family of dead/ disabled worker should be given a permanent
government job. All injured workers should be given a compensation of Rs 20
lakhs, their treatment should be taken care of by the Delhi Government without
lapses.
4. Adequate
arrangements should be made by the Delhi Government to transport the bodies of
dead workers to their native places. All measures should be taken to prevent
any harassment of affected families.
5. The
report of committees formed to investigate the cause of factory fires should be
made public and an action taken report should be provided to all concerned
parties including the Central Trade Union Organizations, which have raised
these issues on various occasions.
6. All
government agencies/officials responsible should be punished after a thorough
investigation.
7. Workers
representatives ie. Trade Unions should be consulted for issues of
implementation, lapses and violations of labour laws on monthly basis.
8. Laws for
stricter punishments to employers flouting Factories Act and other labour laws
should be made and implemented strictly.
9. The
deficiencies in the Labour Department as pointed out in CAG surveys should be
immediately addressed. Vacancies should be filled and new posts created in the
department for inspection of factories.
The protest concluded with resolve to further strengthen the fight for labour rights.