Trade Unions to hold countrywide protests

NEW DELHI: Accusing the government of "destroying self-reliance" of the country''s economy, leading trade unions today announced to hold countrywide protests on January 8 and march to Parliament on February 26 against its "anti-people" and "anti-labour" policies.
"The Government, at the dictates of the World Bank and and IMF, has become busy in completely destroying self-reliance of the economy, the domestic industrial base and convert the country into a marketplace for foreign product," said the declaration adopted at the convention of CITU, AITUC, AICCTU, HMS, INTUC, UTUC, TUCC, UTUS-LS and MEC.
A "massive" countrywide satyagraha would be held and protesters will court arrest on January 8, which will be followed by march to Parliament on February 26 next year, the declaration said.
Stating that the country was facing a "dangerous" situation as a result of the policies of the government, AITUC General Secretary Gurdas Dasgupta said the members of trade unions should fight not just for their rights, but to save the country.
Tapan Sen, General Secretary of the CITU, said the self-reliance and independence was being "threatened" by the policies of the government and the trade unions would put up a united fight.