Preparations are in full swing for the two-day All India General Strike slated to begin on March 28, 2022. On March 22, the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions (CTU) held a meeting in Delhi to take stock of the preparations in various states and sectors.

Workers will gather to protest the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-national policies of the central government. For this, invested unions have started to prepare a week early with sector-wise conventions in public sector undertakings as well as private sector and the unorganised sectors such as scheme workers, domestic workers, hawkers, beedi workers, construction workers, etc.

Others like Haryana’s roadways transport workers and Chandigarh’s electricity workers will also join “inspite of the impending threat of the Essential Services Maintenance Act.” Further, the financial sector including Banking and Insurance will also demonstrate with other unions.

“The strike notices given by unions in the sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, banks, insurance among others. The Unions in Railways and Defence sector would be making mass mobilization in support of strikes at several hundreds of spots,” said CTU in a joint statement.

Meanwhile, leaders attending the meeting were emboldened by the results of the recently held state elections. Moreover, they welcomed the reiteration by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) of farmers observing a rural bandh on the days of the general strike.

Unions condemned the BJP-led central government for reducing the interest rate on PF accumulations from 8.5 percent to 8.1 percent, the sudden hike in Petrol, LPG, Kerosene, CNG etc. They also condemned the government’s attempt to implement their programme of Monetization (PSU Land bundles).

“[The government is] held back only because of the worsening condition of inflation and crashing share markets,” said CTUs. Members resolved to hold more virtual meetings to decry the anti-labour policies and the four labour codes.

“The Platform of CTUS and Sectoral Federations and Associations calls upon all sections of society to extend their support to the strike called under the slogan ‘Save People, Save Nation’,” said CTU.

Related:

Rosh Diwas: Farmers’ groups prepare for weeklong campaign
Trade unions condemn move to reduce EPF interest rate to 8.1 percent
CEL sale, a threat to national security: Employees
AIFAP voices support for pan-India strike against Electricity (Amendment) Bill

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The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) has issued a statement, expressing solidarity with the strike call given by All India Trade Unions.  The JNUTA has stated that it “stands firmly in solidarity with the strike call given by All India Trade Unions on November 26”. The working people of the country have  faced an unprecedented assault on their livelihoods and rights over the last  nine months. It highlighted the “lack of planning and preparation by the government to deal  with the Covid pandemic, and a sudden imposition of 10-week-long  lockdown, resulted in a loss of employment and earnings for a vast number of workers”.

According to JNUTA, rather than provide relief, the government has “used the Covid 19 pandemic to withdraw some of the most fundamental rights enjoyed by  workers and introduced wide-ranging policy shifts in the agricultural sector.” It amplified that almost all the major unions of workers and peasant organisations, have pointed out that these changes have been brought about “at the behest of large corporate houses and will only profit them.” 

Even within the university, the JNUTA put on record that “a large number of support staff such as sanitation and  mess workers, technical assistants and clerical staff members, find themselves working in increasingly precarious conditions with contractual  engagements going on for years without any sign of them being made  permanent.” The three labour Codes approved by the Parliament: the Code on Social Security Bill, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code and the Industrial Relations Code 2020 “will all further increase the power of employers to freely hire and fire  workers as and when they like” stated the teachers union, adding that “the irregular pay and exploitative conditions of  work that have been seen during the pandemic, may worsen in the months ahead for workers.

The statement signed by JNUTA President Milap C Sharma, and all office bearers noted that “during this period, the  government has also done little to support students who are facing  unprecedented difficulties in continuing with their education because  educational institutions have been shut and nothing more than online  teaching, which in a country where availability of electricity, computers  and internet is a luxury enjoyed by a few,” the digital divide said the teachers “ensures  exclusion of many. Instead of providing support to students and teachers  on war-footing, the government has again used the opportunity to wreak  havoc on public education under the garb of the NEP.”

JNUTA called upon all its members to express their support with the striking workers in “whatever way they can” as this “nefarious agenda of the government can only be defeated by joint  struggles of working people.”

Related:

LIVE Updates on All India General Strike and Peasants’ 
Right Wing media working overtime to discredit farmers?
We will stop your march at all cost: Political message to farmers?

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Sugar factory workers on strike

Surat/Kolkata: The 14-day-long strike called by the tribal workers who annually assemble in and around Surat to harvest sugarcane formally ended without much being promised to the protesting workers.

Traditionally, over 200000 tribal workers from Daang and Tapi district of Gujarat and Maharashtra’s Dhule and Nandurbar area migrate to Surat to harvest sugarcane.

But, these workers this year refused to migrate leaving their contractor and sugar factory owners in a fix.

Explaining the reason for the protest, Sudhir Katiyar, an Udaipur-based social activist working for the cause of migratory workers while speaking to eNewsroom said, “The workers work under conditions that are frequently referred to as modern-day slavery. A pair of worker toil for up to 12 hours a day to harvest and load on to trucks one metric tonne of sugarcane for which they are paid Rs. 255. Thus average daily wage works out to Rs. 127.50 that is significantly less than Rs. 178 per day for agriculture workers in Gujarat.”

Strike Banner and Charter of Demands

However, what makes their condition worse is the fact that these workers take advance from the contractors, which they repay on being paid. “At times these workers have to repay almost one-and-a-half times more than the money that their contractor had given,” said Katiyar.

On being asked the need for this, he explained, “The advance is necessitated by the fact that the factories do not pay the workers regular wages as defined under the Payment of Wages Act. Instead, they provide bare minimum food ration and pay wages at the end of the season in gross violation of the law. The workers live for six months literally on the road in tents of polythene sheets without any basic facilities like drinking water, electricity, and sanitation. Children migrate with their parents and join them at work as there are no educational facilities at the campsites.”
However, the strike also is historical in another sense. “The workers are employed by cooperative sugar factories of South Gujarat led by the Bardoli sugar factory that is the largest and oldest sugar factory. Bardoli is the site where Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel undertook the famous struggle for farmers against British colonial rulers. While he won a famous victory and got established as a premier leader in national politics, according to one set of historians, in the process he also betrayed the interests of the tribal farm workers on Patel farms. It has taken almost a century for tribal workers to organize for their dues,” explained Katiyar.

Sugar factory workers protest with their banners

However, the revolt didn’t seem to rattle the sugar factory owners, who on the other hand managed to manipulate or arm-twist the labours, who had already taken advance from their contractors.

Macwan added, “We want the daily wage to be fixed following the minimum wage draft notification which was passed on January 21, 2019. We have reached a compromise this year, but next year we will be better prepared to fight for the rights of the workers employed in the sugarcane farms.”

“On October 9, there was an informal meeting between the factory owners, contractors and the representatives of the Majdur Adhikar Manch, where they come to an informal agreement where the workers have been verbally promised to be paid a higher daily wage than what they have been getting till date,” informed Denis Macwan of Surat Committee.

He further said, “There was immense pressure from Ishwarsinh Patel, Chairman, Gujarat State Federation of co-op. Sugar Factories Ltd to end the strike. Also, the workers were supposed to return their advance, which could be cleared only after they harvested the sugarcane crop. So, the contractors compromised for a raised daily wage of Rs 300 per day.”

Macwan added, “We want the daily wage to be fixed following the minimum wage draft notification which was passed on January 21, 2019. We have reached a compromise this year, but next year we will be better prepared to fight for the rights of the workers employed in the sugarcane farms.”

Courtesy: enewsroom.in
 

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Jharkhand has gone through a rough patch in MGNREGA implementation in the financial year 2018-19. The implementation of MGNREGA was almost standstill for nearly about 6 months during the financial year. The Gram panchayats Mukhias were on a one month long “ pen down” strike in demand of the fourteenth finance commission funds , followed by a  strike called by the NREGA functionary union ( The programme officers  and the frontline functionary’s) in demand of better remuneration and benefits for the staffs. This has vastly  affected the implementation of MGNREGA works  across the state and as a result the persondays generation figures took a huge blow. In addition to this, couple of occasions the wage payments were held up by the central government , each time for  a period of more than one months. The delayed payments and frequent freezing of money has adversely impacted work at ground. The government will have to take full responsibility of the failure as they have constantly neglected the ground issues and allowed this situation where MGNREGA functioning was almost zero in the entire state during the strike called by the NREGA functionaries.

It is also important to mention that , state’s decentralized annual labour budget planning and Integrated watershed planning in 1272 villages of the same number of GPs under the CFT( Cluster facilitation Team) progaramme was also on hold for a long long time due to the absence of NREGA functionaries at the field. Once the strike was revoked and work resumed, the long exercises of labour budget planning and integrated watershed planning ran simultaneously for more than a month and absolutely negligible implementation work could be done during this phase as almost everyone including the Programme Officers  were engaged in the processes of decentralized planning. The entire implementation in 2018-19 had taken a huge jolt due to frequent hazards in the implementing  systems and other external issues. This has resulted in a very poor show on ground and the state could only achieve 76.6% of the approved persondays for the labour budget. This was even less than the  results if the previous financial year( i.e 2017-18) which had achieved 85% of the total approved labour budget according to the official website of the Government Of India(GoI). The figures show that a  9 % decline in  Person Days(PD) generation  than the previous year which should be a major cause of concern. While several media reports and the official website of the central government have claimed that the demands for MGNREGA work was the maximum in 2018-19 compared to last few years; jharkhand’s poor show is a sign of failure of the state government.

The rural  households of Jharkhand, deprived of  year round food security and availability of other employments, have significant dependence on MGNREGA works but due to the mismanaged implementation now a larger section of the workers have lost faith in it. While across the nation, in the absence of other employment opportunities people have opted for MGNREGA, in Jharkhand, the official figures show that the works have further dried up under the scheme.

19.08 lakhs workers from 14.45 lakh households have worked in MGNREGA in the year 2017-18 which too has a reduction this year. In 2018-19, 16.24 lakh workers from 12.73 lakh families have worked in the MGNREGA schemes. While the number of households worked declined  by  12%, the number of workers have reduced by 15% than the previous year.

The total number of  works taken up including the new one’s and spill over works declined by 11.43%, while total number of on-going works at the end of the year ahs seen a decrease of 35% in 2018-19 than the previous financial year. 402027 schemes have been closed in MIS in 2018-19  as compared to 284677 schemes in 2017-18. It is evident that as on-going work figure at the end of 2017-18 was far far higher than that of 2018-19; more number of works could be closed at the MIS this year. This has nothing to do with the overall work scenario in the state.  Furthermore, the schemes are randomly closed on the MIS while the works are physically incomplete and the payments to the workers are yet to be made.

Also, the number of people who had completed 100 days of employment was 21000 less than the figures of previous year.

The most disturbing figure however is the participation of tribal people in the MGNREGA works. The ST% has further gone down 2% this year which makes it a total 12% decline from 38% to mere 26% in the last 4 years. More  surprisingly the  downfall is much more in the tribal dominated areas where the tribal participation remains generally high. The belts of santhal pargana and west singhbhum are the worst sufferers in this respect. In some of the blocks the reduction is in the range of 10-22% as compared to the last year which definitely goes to show that all is not well in MGNREGA. This will need a very detailed study, analysis and introspection. While there is  no clear reason or evidence of  tribal people prospering and leaving MGNREGA works, the declining figures only indicate disinterest among the workers and  growing corruption in the areas.

However there are some encouraging figures in terms of participation of women in the MGNREGA works. The participation of women further increased by 2% and reached 39% which  makes it a 7% increase in the last 4 years which is a good sign. This goes to show that more and more women are now participating in MGNREGA works which was not the case earlier. Also in terms of average  employment provided to participating households, there has been no  improvement  this year. On an average 42 days of employment were provided to each of the job card holding families which had worked in MGNREGA in 2018-19. This figure was  41 in 2017-18.  In the year 2015-16, which was also the year when Jharkhand had carried out it’s ambitious people’s planning campaign i.e  Yojna Banao Abhiyan, the average days of employment provided per household was 52 and in the very next year however this figure declined to 40.6 but in the same year Jharkhand had  observed a record 707 lakhs PD( personDays) generation which had even surpassed the approved labour budget of 700 lakhs PD for the said year. This was possible due to huge number of works opening post the Yojna Banao Abhiyan but the subsequent years have only recorded a steady decline in MGNREGA performances in the state.

Furthermore it is a matter of introspection that while Jharkhand has 23lakhs active job cards and  29lakhs active workers, why only  16 lakh workers from 12 Lakh families are working. Further one needs to delve into the fact why the rest 22 lakhs inactive job card holding families which have about 53 lakhs inactive workers are staying away from the MGNREGS works.

Debmalya Nandy is a social Worker

Courtesy: Counter Current

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The use of the phrase ‘non military preemptive action’ is significant, as it scales down the rhetoric of war and places the strikes in the context of New Delhi’s action to pre-empt further terror attacks on India.

The key points made by the Foreign Secretary are as follows:

On 14 February 2019, a suicide terror attack was conducted by the Pakistan based terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad, leading to the martyrdom of 40 brave jawans of the CRPF. JeM has been active in Pakistan for the last two decades, and is led by Masood Azhar with its headquarters in Bahawalpur.

This organization, which is proscribed by the UN, has been responsible of a series of terrorist attacks including on the Indian Parliament in December 2001 and the Pathankot airbase in January 2016.

Information regarding the location of training camps in Pakistan and PoJK has been provided to Pakistan from time to time. Pakistan, however, denies their existence. The existence of such massive training facilities capable of training hundreds of jidhadis could not have functioned without the knowledge of Pakistan authorities.

India has repeatedly been urging Pakistan to take action against the JeM to prevent jihadis from being trained and armed inside Pakistan. Pakistan has taken no concrete actions to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism on its soil.

Credible intelligence was received that JeM was attempting another suicide terror attack in various parts of the country, and that fidayeen jihadis were being trained for this purpose. In the face of imminent danger, a preemptive strike became absolutely necessary.

In an intelligence led operation in the early hours of today, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated. This facility at Balakot was headed by Maulana Yousuf Azhar (alias Ustad Ghouri), the brother-in-law of Masood Azhar, Chief of JeM.

The Government of India is firmly and resolutely committed to taking all necessary measures to fight the menace of terrorism. Hence this non-military preemptive action was specifically targeted at the JeM camp. The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualties. The facility is located in a thick forest on a hilltop far away from any civilian presence. As the strike took place only a short while ago, we are awaiting further details.

The Government of Pakistan had made a solemn commitment in January 2004 not to allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India. We expect that Pakistan lives up to its public commitment and takes follow up actions to dismantle all JeM and other camps and hold the terrorists accountable for the actions.

Courtesy: Indian Cultural Forum
 

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Notably, the struggle by the students has compelled the UGC to release an arrear of as much as Rs. 11 crore which will be allocated to the TISS administration. Though this amount will not go towards the payment of the fee exemptions or scholarships.
 
Also, the TISS administration hasn’t yet furnished details of the part of their finance which makes it possible to have fee exemptions for GOI-PMS scholars.
 
However, the students said that the meeting with UGC officials was fruitful and a ten members committee was formed with selected members from the General Body of the protesting students. Other committees included the GOI PMS Working Group, Empowered Committee of faculty, a meeting was also held with the Registrar and Dy. Registrar of TISS.
Students have decided to continue the strike till all their demands are met.
 
Students in the meeting have also clarified that the burden of deficits incurred by institute shouldn’t be put on the students, especially the GOI PMS students since it’s a clear flouting of the affirmative action. Students also demanded that the Institute along with the UGC should come up with a plan of action for the students.
 
In this regard, CJP, Sabrang’s partner organisation has also initiated a public campaign to support the struggle of the students. You can sign the petition here
 
The full press release can be read below:
 
PRESS RELEASE I – 17th March 2018
 
TISS STUDENTS PROTESTS HELP TISS ADMINISTRATION TO GAIN 11 CRORES FROM UGC; ALLOCATED AMOUNT WILL NOT HELP GOI PMS SCHOLARS ; STRIKE ENTERS 25TH DAY, NO PLANS TO CALL OFF THE STRIKE !
 
The ongoing strike at Tata Institute Of Social Sciences has entered day 25th today. The UGC announced the release of 4.7 cr and 6.35 Cr towards arrears. The clearance of arrears have come after 24 days of TISS students protests. Although the amount of around 11 Cr. will not be going towards resolving the GOI PMS issue of providing fee waivers for SC, ST, OBC students of current and future batches .
 
It has become abundantly clear that we have clearly shown that agitation by students does have the strength to bent the system. A 25 days strong resistance has made the UGC to fly down to TISS and hear our demands. We do understand that the release of arrears have nothing to do with our demands and GOI PMS scholarship issue but we must state that our protests have helped the TISS administration despite continuous targeting of protesting students. Now the UGC and TISS administration should come up with a solution for which the students are fighting.
 
In spite of continuous demands by the students the TISS administration has not furnished any data to the students regarding what is the exact amount needed to facilitate scholarships and waivers for GOI PMS scholars.
 
The students delegates have demanded from the UGC that the Non Salaried Maintenance grant be increased. Also one of the main demand made by the students body to the UGC is that the UGC should come up with the component under the Non Salaried Maintenance Grant, where funds can be allocated to resolve waivers/scholarship related issues.
 
Dr.Sunita Siwach,Joint Secretary, UGC who is also a part of MHRD Committee held a meeting with students delegates from the General Body at the TISS Campus in Mumbai on Friday. A ten members committee was formed with selected members from the General Body of the protesting students. Other committees included the GOI PMS Working Group, Empowered Committee of faculty, a meeting was also held with the Registrar and Dy. Registrar of TISS.
 
During the meeting the demand charter regarding GOI PMS issues were discussed along with other issues like Non Net Fellowship and closing down of certain centres . The student delegates have stated that the meeting with the UGC was fruitful and the students have put forward solid arguments in support of their demand charter, based on data received through RTIs filed by students.
 
So far the UGC disburses amount under two heads Plan and Non Plan. Under the Plan head funds are allocated for the salaries. Where as the Non Plan head goes towards other expenditure of the institute, which is the institute is mandated to spend funds towards specific expenditures. Funds allocated under both these heads do not go towards any funding related to scholarships and waivers and hence the students have demanded that a separate component too be added to facilitate funds towards students scholarships/waivers.The students body also argued that the TISS should be considered at par with other Central Universities, since it has one of the highest NAAC grading.
 
In this meeting no concrete solutions have been been offered as yet. But we have resolved to keep the strike going until all our demands are met by the UGC and the TISS administration.Post the meeting the General Secretary of the Student Union also handed over the charter of demand to the Joint Secretary of the UGC.
 
Students in the meeting have also clarified that the burden of deficits incurred by institute shouldn’t be put on the students, especially the GOI PMS students since it’s a clear flouting of the affirmative action. So far the administration has not clarified or come up with a figure of cost incurred to support GOI PMS students The UGC has asked TISS committee which includes faculty and student delegates to furnish a plan of action report by 31st March for further action.
 
We believe that our demands have been legit and can be met by the institute through various means. It is the institute’s responsibility to mobilise resources to support the section of students who are in utmost need of institutional support. The strike shall continue till demands are met.
 
Student Unity Long Live.
Struggle for Social Justice Long Live.
 
https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/education-constitutional-right-says-adv-prakash-ambedkar-calls-rally-vidhan-sabha-support
https://www.sabrangindia.in/ann/latest-tiss-tiss-admin-will-visit-guwahati-campus-hunger-strike-continues-third-day
 

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As many as 11 states and four union territories (UTs) have not announced any change in the additional salary paid to anganwadi (courtyard shelter or creches) workers (AWWs) and anganwadi helpers (AWHs) since 2015, according to government data.
 
India utilises the services of 1.18 million AWWs and 1.16 million AWHs under anganwadi services in the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), an early childhood care and development programme to improve health and nutritional status of children between 0-6 years. The number of AWWs dropped 7% to 1.18 million in 2016 compared to 2013.
 
AWWs and AWHs are part time “honorary workers” from the local community who provide government services to children, pregnant and nursing women.
 
AWWs and AWHs are already overburdened and underpaid for the various services that they are expected to render under ICDS. AWWs have been forced to shell out money from their own pockets due to delays.
 
Nearly 40% of anganwadi workers surveyed in 2014 in six states had to use their personal money to run the anganwadi centre and 35% of them had not been paid on time, according to Progress of Children Under Six, 2016, report. In some states like Tamil Nadu, where the ICDS is robust, honorarium paid to the AWHs is higher than AWWs in Uttar Pradesh, added the report.
 
The central government enhanced the honorarium of AWWs and AWHs by Rs 1,500 and Rs 750 per month–to Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500 per month, respectively–with effect from April 1, 2011.
 
States and UTs provide additional salary to AWWs and AWHs out of their resources.
 
Kerala, Tripura and West Bengal have not increased salary paid to AWHs or AWWs, according to data made available as of March 2015 and December 2017 to the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament). Uttar Pradesh, with nearly 170,000 AWWs and 150,000 AWHs, increased payments to Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 per month, respectively, as of December 2017, from Rs 200 and Rs 100 per month
 
Delhi increased the total salary (including centre’s allocation) to Rs 9,678 for AWWs and Rs 4,839 to AWHs, the Times of India reported on July 22, 2017.
 
The state government has also provided an additional Rs 500 and Rs 250, respectively, for internet/mobile charges, the Hindu reported on July 22, 2017.
 

Source: Rajya Sabha (2017 and 2015); Data as of December 21, 2017
 
While Odisha hiked the remuneration of anganwadi workers from October 2017, Karnataka increased the salaries after protests by anganwadi workers.
 
The wage increase in news report for states like Odisha and Kerala does not reflect in the government response in Parliament.
 
Despite two email requests and as many calls over three weeks to the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the state government of Kerala on clarification of wages, we have not received any response. We will update the copy if and when we receive it.

This article was first published on IndiaSpend.
 

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More than one lakh workers of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) went on an indefinite strike from Tuesday midnight, demanding wages as per the 7th pay commission. The workers have launched the strike after negotiations with the state government failed.

“Our 1.02 lakh staffers have stopped plying ST buses from midnight yesterday demanding implementation of the 7th Pay Commission and an interim hike of 25 percent till the pay panel’s recommendations are implemented,” said Sandeep Shinde, president of the Maharashtra ST Workers’ Union to PTI.
The 7th pay commission recommended a hike of 14% in salaries and 25% in interim bonus. As per the recommendations, the Union government had hiked the minimum basic pay for central government employees from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000.

Speaking of the penury faced by MSRTC workers, Hanumant Tate, state general secretary of Maharashtra ST Kamgar Sanghatana, said , “Implementing pay panel recommendations is part of the salary hike demand. The salary paid to most of the employees doesn’t even match government’s minimum wage rate. Conductors and drivers are paid between Rs 8,000-10,000 per month, which is too little to survive. Against this, private bus drivers are paid Rs 18,000.”

The state transport workers, who entered the second day of the strike, assert that they won’t give up their struggle until they get the recommended hike. 
“If our demands are met, we are ready to end our strike right now,” Shinde said.

On the other hand, the strike has affected the commute of thousands of passengers at the time of Diwali. Long-distance passengers, who plan to travel to their hometowns for the festival, will especially face a hard time. Thousands of people who travel to the interiors and to Konkan regions depend mostly on state transport buses.

Festival seasons are usually profit-yielding seasons for the MSRTC. But this season, the corporation had sustained losses of nearly ₹19 crore due to the strike, an MSRTC official said.
To help the troubled commuters, the transport department of the Maharashtra government issued a notification to allow private vehicles, including school buses and taxis, to ply the routes of the state buses.

More than 60 lakh passengers depend on MSRTC buses every day. To carry these passengers on intra-city and inter-city routes, MSRTC operates around 19,000 buses.
Apologising for the inconvenience to passengers due to the strike, Shinde appealed to the public for support. 

“We have been rendering our services to them (passengers) since long, but this time we need their support for our survival,” he said.
 

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This reporter's first destination was Jawahar Bhawan in Lucknow. A large group of women in bright parrot  green Saris called out to me in the midst of their sloganeering. They had seen my camera. Clearly and as stated by them later no reporter, channel or camera unit had spoken to them till then.
 

Green sari is the uniform of anganwaadi workers. They had come from all across the state of Uttar Pradesh. There are four and a half lakh anganwaadi workers and two and a half lakh  assistants in the anganwaadi of Uttar Pradesh. Their slogans of "Azadi" , an age old slogan by women's movement was echoing in the entire premise of Jawahar Bhawan. The other slogan could have pierced your heart – Roti Do Ya Maut Do. Give us bread or Give us death.

Their demands are- The Anganwadi workers must be paid 10,000 Rs and their Assistants 5000 Rs. They should be observed as state government employees.Anganwadi centers should be closed for summer holidays. Both Anganwadi workers and their assistants should be entitled to post retirement Pension. There are many vacancies for angwanwadi workers. The people in service should be immediately promoted to these posts. Cooking Gas connection in every anganwaadi center. An insurance policy of 5 lakh for all anganwadi workers and their assistants. 25% yearly increment for both Anganwadi workers and their assistants.

Some of the Angan waadi workers and their assistants screamed at this reporter- "3,000 Rs mey tumhara ghar chal sakta hai?". Can I run my house in Rs 3000?
 

– Some of their demands are- Land rights and worker rights of Famers and workers respectively must be protected.
-Land Rights of the poor should be the focus of government and not land acquisition.
– Social Security of all workers, weavers, craftsmen must be ensured.
– The constitutional Right of workers to express their views, form unions and protest against Government anti-people policies must be restored and not played around with.
-All power plants, dams and highways like  Kachri Power Plant or Kanhar Dam must be made in consultation with the local people of the state. All illegal land acquisition must stop.
– Dalits, Adivasis/tribals and other minorities must not be branded Maoists and Terrorists the moment they protest or don’t want to comply with the powerful people. False cases and false encounters to silence the underprivileged must stop.
–  A safe environment must be created for women.
– All the rights given to communities under Forest Act must be ensured strongly.
– Forest Officers and Forest offices when working against the Forest Act must be investigated. Tendu Leaves, Honey and small fish cultivation under Forest Act are with some Forest communities. Their rights must be protected.
– The violence against the poor in the name of Gau Raksha across the country must be immediately stopped and the perpetrators must be severely punished.
– Communal Violence Bill must be passed immediately.
– The State must encourage hospitals like AIIMS to be established in the country. Privatisation of education must be stopped and public education system must be strengthened.

 Just as I stopped listening and listing the demands of this group I heard a huge uproar by a crowd that was rushing towards the same venue where the workers unions were protesting.  Some of these people with garlands on their neck and Tika  ( A colourful mark Hindus put on their forehead after their prayers) on were  neatly dressed and clearly more privileged than the working class people who were protesting so far. This group had the confidence and assertion to take over the street. Not just the park assigned to protest. The waiting Police rushed towards them. The workers in the park got up and came closer to each other. They were watchful and concerned. Someone in the crowd said  “opposition waaley aagaye” suggesting BJP workers may have come on the streets to silence the workers protest.

This reporter moved closer to the other group now. Some people were fainting in the summer heat. Some were shouting at the Police Force that was refusing to let them go further. The loud but unclear slogans gradually became audible. These people were sloganeering against the Police, then the Chief Minister, then the Prime Minister. They were also on the strike!

On asking who were they I was told they were from the Teachers’ Union and like the Anganwadi workers, craftsmen, nurses, weavers and all other workers they had come out to protest. Some of them were parched and dehydrated but all of them looked determined, feisty and fearless.

The Strike in Lucknow, this 2^nd of September 2016, moved from parks and government offices to the streets! Healthcare, Pension, Holidays, permanent posts and Salary increment talks are clearly back in vogue!

The legitimacy of basic demands sounded irrefutable with the slogans of "Hamari Maangey Poori Karo" rising high!

The post Give us bread or Give us Death : Uttar Pradesh workers scream! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

दोपहर करीब 11 बजे चारबाग स्टेशन से रैली की शुरूआत की गयी। दूर दराज के वनक्षेत्रों कैमूर उ0प्र0 जनपद सोनभद्र, मिर्जापुर, चंदोली व बिहार अधौरा, बुन्देलखण्ड मानिकपुर चित्रकूट, तराई लखीमपुर खीरी व शहरी क्षेत्रों लखनऊ, कानपुर, इलाहाबाद, बनारस, मिरजापुर, आजमगढ़ व चंदोली आदि में वनाधिकारों, ज़मीन के सवाल पर, बड़े बांधों के लिये अवैध भूमि अधिग्रहण व फर्जी मुकदमों आदि के सवाल पर अपनी अपनी जगह पर संघर्ष कर रहे समुदायों व कार्यकर्ताओं का यह समूह सरकार की मज़दूर विरोधी व जनविरोधी नीतियों, महंगाई व ग्रामीण श्रमिक वर्ग के ऊपर हो रहे सरकारी दमन के खिलाफ पूरे जोश-ओ-खरोश के साथ यह रैली चारबाग से स्टेशन मार्ग, हुसैन गंज, बर्लिंग्टन चैराहा से मुड़कर कैसर बाग होते विधानसभा मार्ग पर स्थित सभा स्थल गाॅधी प्रतिमा की ओर बढ़ रहे थे कि गाॅधी प्रतिमा के नज़दीक दारुलशफ़ा के ठीक सामने लालबाग चैक पर पुलिस ने प्रदर्शनकारियों का रास्ता बाधित कर दिया व रैली को दूसरी तरफ मोड़ने की कोशिश करने लगे। आंदोलनरत महिलाओं द्वारा इस पर विरोध करते हुए जब सभा स्थल की ओर जाने की कोशिश की तो पुलिस ने लाठी चार्ज भी कर दिया, जिससे 3 महिलायें चोटिल हो गयीं। जिससे लोगों में उत्तेजना पैदा होने की संभावना पैदा हो गई। लेकिन लोगों के जोशीले रुख को देखते हुए पुलिस को पीछे हटना पड़ा व लोगों सभा स्थल तक पहुंचने दिया।

गाॅधी प्रतिमा पर आयोजित जनसभा को अशोक चैधरी, राजेन्द्र मिश्रा, रवीन्द्र सिंह, रोमा, निबादा राणा, मातादयाल, गम्भीरा प्रसाद, सुरेन्द्र प्रसाद, रामचन्द्र राणा व राजकुमारी द्वारा जोशीले अन्दाज़ में केन्द्र सरकार व राज्य सरकार की अवैध भूमि अधिग्रहण करके बांध निर्माण, वनाधिकार कानून के असफल क्रियान्वयन, श्रमिक कानूनों के साथ छेड़-छाड़, विनाशकारी विकास योजनाओं, लगातार गरीब तबकों की कमर तोड़ती बढ़ती महंगाई जैसी जनविरोधी व मज़दूर विरोधी नीतियों के मुद्दों पर घेरते हुए खुले शब्दांे चेतावनी देते हुए सभा को सम्बोधित किया। इस सभा में ग्रामीण श्रमिक लोगों पर सरकार के दमनात्मक रवैये व महिलाओं पर हो रहे अत्याचारों के मुद्दे भी वक्ताओं द्वारा मज़बूती से उठाये गये। सभा का संचालन अमित मिश्रा ने किया।

देशव्यापी हड़ताल के समर्थन में किये गये इस विरोध प्रदर्शन में भूमि अधिकार आन्दोलन के बैनर तले अखिल भारतीय वन-जन श्रमजीवी यूनियन, जनसंघर्ष समन्वय समिति, नेशनल फेडरेशन आफ दलित लैंड राईट्स मूवमेंट, लोक हक़दारी मोर्चा, बारा पावर प्लांट, कैमूर क्षेत्र महिला मज़दूर किसान संघर्ष समिति, कम्यूनिस्ट वर्कर्स प्लेटफार्म, अखिल भारतीय जय भीम सेना, बौद्ध सेना, थारू आदिवासी महिला मज़दूर किसान मंच, पाठा दलित भू-अधिकार मंच, कैमूर मुक्ति मोर्चा-अधोरा बिहार, किसान विकास मंच, मज़दूर शक्ति संगठन, विकल्प-गोरखपुर, एकाउंटेबल सिटीजन फोरम, श्रमिक आंदोलन, जनपैरवी मंच, किसान मज़दूर एकता समिति, कन्हर बचाओ आंदोलन, इंसाफ-उत्तर प्रदेश, वीडियो वालेंटियर, एन.ए.पी.एम, ए.आई.सी.सी.टी.यू, संघर्ष संवाद, भारतीय मज़दूर यूनियन, रिहाई मंच व जनमंच-फैजाबाद के प्रतिनिधीगण व संघर्षशील वनाश्रित समुदायों की बड़ी संख्या में महिलाएं व पुरुष शामिल हुए। 

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