Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh announces week-long protest against Centre's move to privatise PSUs

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is on warpath against the Narendra Modi government with RSS-affiliated trade union on Wednesday announcing a 'Sarkar Jagao Saptah' (wake up, government week) this month-end against the government's move to privatise Public Sector Units and problems faced by the workers.

The agitation plan was announced by BMS General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay, a day after a virtual meeting of national office bearers of the trade union presided by national president Saji Narayanan.

The BMS plans to highlight the problems of unorganised sector workers particularly migrant workers issues, non-payment of wages, huge job losses, suspension of labour laws and increasing working hours in many states and "unbridled privatisation by selling PSUs and also through corporatisation of Defence and Railway production units.

"The BMS has decided to observe 'Sarkar Jagao Saptah' from July 24 to 30 through countrywide demonstrations," Upadhyay said.

During the meeting, the leaders assessed that three days coal strike had affected 95% activities in the sector. The BMS said the coal strike would have an "outstanding" impact on the entire public sector and government sector employees.

As a part of 'Sarkar Jagao Saptah' agitation, BMS activists will contact grass-roots level workers of each sector and educate them about the central as well as state governments’ latest policies and their severe impact on workers.

"It will also expose the anti-workers Ordinances brought by four state governments and increasing of working hours from 8 to 12 hours by 12 state governments. Each day, workers belonging to one particular sector will conduct processions and public meetings as per the local situations by following all the Covid-19 norms," Upadhyay said.

According to the BMS plan, workers of schemes like ASHA, Anganwadi, mid-day meal, National Health Mission and 108 ambulance services will hold protests on July 24 followed by power and transport sector employees the next day.

On July 26, private-sector employees in cement, engineering, jute, textiles, sugar, distilleries, pharmaceutical and industrial estates will hold protests while on July 27, employees in railways, postal, defence, local bodies and state and central government will take to the streets.

Financial sector employees' protest will be on July 28 while the unorganised sector workers hold demonstrations the next day. The protest programme will culminate on July 30 with protest by employees of PSUs on July 3.