Bolstered by the strong response to the two-day nationwide general strike, Trade Union leaders and the Left parties on Thursday warned of a bigger struggle involving employees of more sectors, including the railways, if the government fails to heed their demands to stop anti-people policies.
There was enthusiasm amongst the Trade Unionists as the ranks of the striking employees swelled on the second day as more big factory workers joined the protest.
CITU leader Tapan Sen said workers from factories in Chennai and Pune joined the strike. He said many from private companies like Kaparo, Sovel and ATC tyre also extended their support to the strike.
“This is not the end, but the beginning. We are soon to decide our next course of action. A new social force is emerging which will be countering the government. We will not accept economic reforms,” AITUC leader Gurudas Dasgupta told media persons in a joint press conference called by the Central Trade Unions.
“The Central government has to immediately address the demands raised by the general strike and take steps to fulfill them, otherwise bigger actions will follow,” said Left leaders Prakash Karat (CPI(M), Sudhakar Reddy, (CPI) Debarat Biswas (Forward Block) and TJ Chandrchoodan (RSP) in a joint statement.
Trade Union leaders of different political hues such as Congress led INTUC, BJP led Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh, CPM led CITU and CPI led AITUC, besides other unions like HMS, AITUC and AICCTU, vowed to put aside their affiliations to fight on for the larger national interest.
“Rail employees are also considering a strike,” revealed Harbhajan Singh, a senior leader of the HMS, which controls the biggest trade union in railways -the All India Railwaymen’s Federation. Leaders also condemned violence perpetrated by those trying to sabotage the peaceful protests.
“We condemn violence. This has been done by hooligans to sabotage the peaceful strike,” said BMS leader BN Roy.
Expressing anger over the attack on strikers in West Bengal, leaders slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for “unleashing terror” on the workers. They particularly condemned the incident in which the ear of a Panchayat worker was cut.
“These incidents show a fascist trend. The strike is a democratic right,” said CPM leader Sitaram Yechury in an informal interaction with the media persons.
Reminding Banerjee of her support to the Maoists, he said violence would only breed more violence. Meanwhile, the strike hit normal life considerably in Kerala, where banks and commercial establishments remained closed on the second day of the strike.
Public transport was off the road, but cars and two-wheelers flooded the roads on Thursday. Strikers forcibly closed offices and milk booths in many places, while agitators surrounded Kochi’s Info Park and stopped much of the 1,50,000 employees from reporting to duty.
Police have arrested 25 persons in connection with various strike-related incidents.