Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) strongly condemns brutal police crackdown by Haryana Police forces at Punjab Haryana border on the protesting farmers in their march to Delhi to press for their legitimate demands including legal guarantee of MSP. The farmers were attacked on 13^th February, 20224 at two border points in Haryana-Punjab border, they were brutally lathi charged, they faced tear gas shells, some dropped by drone.

 To stop these marching farmers entering into Delhi, the security forces are taking an unprecedented war like preparation by erecting concrete barricades, iron nails, barbed wires in the Delhi borders. At this juncture, Modi led BJP government once again exposed their class interest by refusing to legal entitlement of MSP. After having held several rounds of talks with the farmers, Union agricultural minister Arjun Munda made it clear that announcing a guaranteed MSP will not be possible.  CITU recalls the emergence of historic farmers movement and formation of SKM was a result of the united struggles of farmers movement against the now repealed three anti farmers pro corporate farm laws, which was actively supported by central trade unions. The united farmers movement spearheaded by SKM compelled the Modi Government to repeal the farm laws but the corporate communal regime at centre later betrayed the farmers by refusing to accept the major demands including legal entitlement of the MSP.

 CITU denounces the brutal police actions on farmers and demands upon the central government to immediately implement recommendations of Swaminathan Commission including the legal guarantee of MSP. SKM and CTU have been in the persistent struggles against the anti farmers anti workers anti people  destructive policies of the Modi led BJP government. On 16^th February SKM-CTU once again will have nationwide massive militant joint action on basis of 21 point charter of demands that were formulated at the historic first ever joint convention of SKM-CTUs on 24^th July, 2023.

 CITU extends its solidarity to the protesting farmers, CITU also appeals to the all sections of farmers and agricultural workers, all organisations of farmers to actively participate in the call for 16^th February nationwide joint action.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) a class oriented Trade Union confederation representing more than 7 million workers and an affiliate of WFTU, extends its international working class solidarity to the striking Greek workers of 4 big companies in the sector Telecom Sector, Call Centers & Teleperformance who goes on strike today, 8^th February, 2024 demanding a hike in wage to mitigate the inflationary downward pressure on real wage.

The strike was democratically decided with active participation of mass of the workers in these sectors in an open meeting held in the regional trade union centre of Piraeus. Earlier the striking workers submitted their memoranda to the management of Teleperformance but they didn’t accede to the just demands of the workers. Teleperformance has given no pay rises since 2010 while the cost of living has skyrocketed. The experiences of criminal negligence to the demands of workers have been same in WebHelp, TTEC and Foundever. In this situation, the workers of the 4 big companies in these sectors go for strike action today with united voice.

CITU fully supports the just demands of striking Greek workers and demands upon the Greek Government to intervene in the favour of the workers of these sectors in negotiation with these big companies. CITU once again congratulates the striking workers of the sectors of Telecom, Call centres and Teleperformnace for their successful strike actions and calls upon its affiliates and members and also the entire fraternity of the WFTU within the country and abroad to organise solidarity actions.    

Issued by
(Swadesh DevRoye)
National Secretary, CITU & 
Head of International Affairs

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) slams the interim budget placed by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman as a bunch of lies and a desperate attempt to privatisation. It is an attempt to come back to power by claiming that the average income of people has increased by 50% and inflation is moderate, which is a myth, while the reality is otherwise with raising prices of essential commodities and unemployment across the nation. The ILO report has unravelled falling real wages across the world including India and UNO report on Poverty Index ranking has exposed the performance of India as worst of the times. Interim budget instead of infusing confidence in the people struggling to meet the ends of their life as only made cruel fun of reality.

Finance Minister in her shortest budget speech has desperately claimed to compare the performance of Modi led BJP Govt with the earlier, while the fact remains that this is the regime under which Privatisation of PSU’s to the huge extent of Rs.4.09 lakh crores was done which is the highest ever in the nation and has set the target of divesting Rs.50000 crores worth PSU shares in FY 25 as against the target of Rs.30000 crores for FY 24. The interim budget has further opened up defence research and development to private players and a corpus of Rs.1 lakh crores is set up for enabling it, to fund 50 years interest free loans to private sector to achieve it in the guise of innovations.

The tall claims made while placing budget in terms of allocation to various welfare were unspent and surrendered back as seen in the case of surrender of Rs 1 lakh crores unspent amount allocated to Agriculture farmers welfare between 2019-20  to 2022-23 reveals the dubious nature of the BJP Govt claims and the fraud on people played by it.

It's a mark of sarcasm that while BJP Govt at the centre is doing everything to dismantle the very concept of federalism enshrined in Constitution, the budget has claimed to chalk out blue print for next generation of reforms in consultation with the states. The track record of last 10 years rule of this Govt clearly demonstrate that its anti-worker, anti-peasant, anti-people and anti-national, true to its character the interim budget has not uttered any positive steps for the workers, peasants and general public at large, rather has claimed to lay down the blue print of its Vikasit Bharath by June 24 coming back to power.  True to its neo liberal policies it shall be pro corporate & pro rich Vikasit Bharat which it wishes to build by 2047.

In this back ground CITU calls upon its affiliated unions and its members to make the Feb 16th nation wide mass mobilisations including industrial /sectoral strike & Grameen Bundh call of Samyukth Kisan Morcha and Joint CTU’s a success.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) denounces the Union Govt initiative to provide Indian workers to Israel which has unleashed inhuman barbaric genocidal war on Palestine and urges the Govt to rescind, terminating the agreement entered into with Israel to provide Indian workers.

CITU appeals to the Indian Workers not to fall prey to the abetment of the BJP led Govts at Center and states for going for jobs at Israel which is itself a conflict-torn area and its Govt is rendering thousands of Palestinians working at Israel jobless while carrying out genocidal attacks on Palestine.  

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship overseeing the National Skill Development Council (NSDC) was reported to have entered into three year agreement with Israel in November 2023. As per which it shall facilitate Indian workers for temporary employment in specific labour sectors like construction and care giving in Israel. The agreement was entered into amidst the genocidal Israel war on Palestine while thousands of casualties were reported as on that date. CITU and its affiliate Construction Workers Federation of India (CWFI) had condemned it then itself and said it shall only put the lives of vulnerable unemployed youth of the nation to the death trap.

Now while the barbaric attacks on the Gaza by Israel has entered 100^th day, the preparation to screen the youth for jobs in Israel by the BJP led UP and Haryana Govts is reported. But the Central MSDE and NSDC do not at all owe any responsibility regarding the future and safety of the workers including that of social security and other such minimum labour protection. At the same time the NSDC is robbing the unemployed Youth with the charges of Rs.10000 in the name of inculcating skill sets required for jobs in Israel.

This move of the Govt of India to provide cheap man power to the country engulfed in genocidal war militates against the UN Resolutions for two Nations and for ceasefire and the established foreign Policy of Indian Nation in recognizing Palestine as a free independent sovereign Nation. It is an act of standing with inhuman Zionist genocidal war mongering Israel and put the lives of Indian workers at stake. The Govt must put a halt to this inhuman move.

Issued by,

Tapan Sen
General Secretary 

Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) expresses its deep grief at the sad demise of Comrade Maharani Konar, the veteran communist leader and one of the founder leader of All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helper’s, who died on yesterday, 5^th December, 2024 at Burdwan, West Bengal. She was 90 years old.

Born on 23^rd November, 1933, Comrade Maharani Konar joined the communist party in 1958 and was instrumental in developing the Communist party and Left movement in Burdwan district, West Bengal. She made a major contribution in building the working class movement in Burdwan, she was involved in organizing toiling women and became one of tallest leader of democratic women movement in Bengal.

During the semi-fascist terror in West Bengal in the seventies, she became a beacon of organized mass resistance; she used to give shelter to party leaders and cadres in her home, risking her own life. She was also involved in heroic peasant’s movement in Burdwan district under the banner of AIKS against the feudal landlords. She was actively involved in organizing Anganwadi workers and helpers, she was one of the founder leaders of AIFAWH, and she was Vice-President of ICDS workers union in West Bengal for a long period and was one of its National Vice Presidents. She was state committee member of CITU West Bengal.

Comrade Konar also played a memorable role as a MLA, she was elected from Memari, Burdwan district for three consecutive terms from 1982 to 1991, in championing the cause of the working people, both inside and outside of the assembly.

Comrade Maharani Konar was a living inspiration for the left movement in Bengal, she was active in political life till her death, barely a month ago she participated in ‘Insaf Yatra’ called by DYFI West Bengal. She was married to Benoy Konar, veteran leader of Kishan Movement and CPI(M) in West Bengal, legendary Communist leader Hare krishna Konar was her brother-in-law.

Comrade Maharani Konar throughout her active political life did articulate as to how the movement of working people is effectively advanced. She will be remembered for generations for her unwavering class commitment and revolutionary zeal, she was affectionately called ‘Ranidi’, she was very kind to younger comrades, with her passing way working class movement lost a leader with the strongest conviction in the ideology of the working class.

CITU conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members of the departed leader, dips its banner and submits homage of respect to the great contribution of Comrade Maharani Konar.

Red Salute to Comrade Maharani Konar!

Issued By
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) notes with grave seriousness the spontaneous outburst of the protest actions throughout the country by the Road Transport fraternity including the mass of the road transport workers arising out of thoughtless exercise of hasty passage of the so called Bharatiya Nyaa Sanhita, replacing Indian Penal Code and in particular impractical, unjust and unconstitutional provisions put therein relating to road transport accidents arbitrarily empowering executive/authority concerned to impose atrocious penalty and punitive action.

The entire exercise of passing three penal legislations called Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bhartiya Sakshya Sanhita, replacing the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act, was pushed through by the Government at the Centre, bulldozing any discussion in Parliament and also ignoring the consensus recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs in a brazenly authoritarian manner.  It’s patently clear given their authoritarian attitude they would not allow to have a meaningful debate and discussion in the Parliament leave alone public consultations and discussions with stakeholders- particularly the road transport workers unions.

In the name of de-colonizing the criminal justice system, above legislations have been pushed through. Any process of de-colonisation worth name should entails giving more power to people than treated as subjects during the colonial regime. But in action the Central Govt did just opposite, while touting on its deceptive claim. One of the major points of their claims of decolonization is the removal of section 124(a) of IPC, popularly known as the sedition law. But, if we closely examine the BNS, the same draconian content and intent were retained in section 150 of BNS. And there are many other examples of such deceptive claims in these legislations only.

Moreover, it has expanded the power of police and the executive arbitrarily and abnormally. One of such more glaring instances is the amending of IPC provisions related to the road accidents and other rash and negligent acts/driving where it proposes a jail term of 10 years and/or fine, if a person is found involved in rash driving, escapes the crime scene (mostly out of in fear) and fails to report the incident to police.

The section 104 (2) of BNS says, “Whoever causes death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide and escapes from the scene of incident or fails to report the incident to a police officer or magistrate soon after the incident, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description of a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.”

Currently, incidents of hit-and-run are registered under sections 279 (rash or reckless driving), 304A (causing death by negligence) and 338 (endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC. The punishment for causing death due to rash and negligent driving under 304A is two years.

It is relevant to recall that after its first introduction in the Lok Sabha on 11^th August 2023, it was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs where the committee has recommended reconsidering this section 104(2). The para 3.20.5 of the recommendation of the Standing Committee says that “The Committee is of the view that clause 104(2) may be against the Article 20(3) of the Constitution of India which says - ‘No person accused of an offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself’. But, the Supreme Court has widened the scope of this immunity by interpreting the word ‘witness’ to include oral as well as documentary evidence so that no person can be compelled to be a witness to support a prosecution against himself. Hence, further contemplation is required, if the Government still seeks to retain this new provision”.

Given governments’ scant respect to Parliamentary democracy, we cannot expect them to listen to any such collective wisdoms. Accordingly, they were more recalcitrant and  retained the same ten years’ imprisonment with a new provision 104(2) adding the term ‘driving’ with rash and negligent act against the above mentioned article of Constitution and the Recommendation of Parliamentary Standing Committee.

In this background, motor workers across the country have been on struggle for past three days against these draconian provisions. CITU extends its wholehearted support to the strike actions of road transport workers.

Sensing the surging support for the strike among the vehicle-driving public and workers, Government has assured not to implement that punitive provision but has not uttered any word to revise the same. Thus, CITU demands that this section 104(2) has to be deleted from the penal statue and all stakeholders- particularly the road transport sector trade unions should be consulted on the future corrective measures on these issues.

Issued by:
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and its women’s sub-committee, the All India Coordination Committee of Working Women (AICCWW-CITU) express their anguish at the shocking revelation of a civil judge from Banda, Uttar Pradesh about the sexual harassment and torture she has undergone to the extent making her seeking permission to end her life.

The complaint by the civil judge against a particular district judge and his associates that she was abused in the open court and her continuous complaints including an application for transfer has been of no use, gives a picture of the situationfaced by the working women even of the stature of a judge in the judicial system as well.

Her narration (as reported) that “I wish to tell the working women in India; Learn to live with sexual harassment. It’s the truth of our lives” and “The POSH Act (2013) is a big wholesome lie” reflects the experience of the majority of the working women in our country who are non- unionised and are compelled to fight their battle individually. If this is the plight of a judge, one can imagine what private sector women worker and the unorganised sector working women are facing.

AICCWW (CITU) has been continuously demanding and fighting for the strict implementation of the POSH Act in all the workplaces including in the unorganised sector. In most of the establishments including the central government offices and ministries, the Internal Committees as per the POSH Act is not formed or not functioning even after ten years of the passing of the law. The Local committees are not even formed in majority of the districts.

It is the experience of the working women’s movement in the country that through collective effort and unionization we could make this law implemented. It has been a demand of the trade union movement that the representatives (women) of the trade unions must also be included in the ICs.

We welcome that the Chief Justice of India has ordered and enquiry into the case. We demand that a thorough stock taking of the functioning of the ICs as well as the local committees and strict implementation of the law in both organised as well as unorganised sectors immediately by the concerned ministry and enforcement authorities at various levels.

CITU and AICCWW(CITU) call upon the working women in general and its units and women’s sub committees in particular to intensify the campaign among the workers on their rights and the struggles for the implementation of the POSH Act.

Issued by
A R Sindhu
Convenor, AICCWW(CITU)
Secretary CITU

Construction Workers Safety Matters!

Conduct Through Probe into the Silkyara Tunnel Collapse!

Take Stringent Action Against Those Responsible!

The Construction Workers Federation of India (CWFI)expressed relief at the rescue of the 41 construction workers from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand and congratulated the rat miners for their contribution rescuing the workers.

The Uttarkashi tunnel collapse raises alarming questions about the negligence of the contractor and the authorities in taking measures for the safety of the workers following revelations that the tunnel lacked a requisite escape route. It also exposed the laxity and violations of the existing legal provisions and norms.

The Silkyaratunnel collapse is only one in a series of accidents, which occur due to the utter negligence of the authorities and the construction companies. The tunnel collapse incident once again exposes the disastrous consequences of handing over public infrastructure management, both at state and Centre to private corporate contractors that too on liberal deregulated formats, from the state run public works departments.

The Hyderabad based NavayugaEnginerringCompany, which is executing the project is the same company which is constructing the Nagpur – Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway in Maharashtra’s Thane district where barely three months ago 20 construction workers lost their lives when a gantry crane collapsed and fell on the workers and engineers present at the site. Though a FIR was registered against the Navayuga Engineering Company after Samriddhi Expressway accident, no action was taken. The same company has been granted the RishikeshKarnaprayag rail link project. It seems that like the Adani group, Navayuga has become a favoured company for the Modi government in infrastructure projects.

CWFI has written letters to Prime Minister of India and Chief Minister of Uttarakhand on 30^th November 2023 highlighting the gross safety violations in Silkyara tunnel collapse and demandedthorough judicial probe into the whole matter to fix accountability and stringent punishment for those who are responsible for this dreadful incident. It has also demanded that no construction work should be allowed without ensuing that all the necessary safety measures are put in place.

It demanded that the government of India ratify ILO conventions related to health and safety, which have been brought under fundamental principles of rights at work by the ILO in its session in 2022.

CWFI has decided to take up an extensive campaign on the above demands across the country in the coming months of December - January.

All the affiliated unions of CWFI will also send letters to Prime Minister and CM, Uttarakhand on 1^st December, 2023 as a part of CWFI’s nationwide campaign to expose the callousness of government.

Issued by:
U.P Joseph,
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) expresses its deep grief at the sad demise of Comrade N. Sankaraiah, the freedom fighter and veteran communist leader today 15^th November, 2023 at Chennai where he was admitted in a private hospital under brief illness. He was 102 years old.

Born on 15^th July 1922, Sankariah joined the Communist Party in 1940 and became one of the key organisers of the united Party in Tamilnadu.

Comrade Sankaraiah was first arrested in 1941, when he was a student of The American College in Madurai. He organised a protest in support of the students of Annamalai University in Chidambaram, at the instance of late Communist leader A.K. Gopalan, who was in underground then in Madurai. When the police searched the students’ hostel, they found pamphlets written by Sanakaraiah, and he was arrested. The incident put an end to his institutional studies. He could not complete his degree, as he was put in prison just 15 days before his final examinations. His first jail term lasted 18 months.

Comrade Sankaraiah had also actively participated in the Quit India movement during the struggle of Independence. In his long political career, he had spent nine years in prison during both pre-Independence days, and later after the country achieved freedom as well. He was the one of the major accused in the Madurai Conspiracy case filed in 1946. When CPI(M) was subjected to repression in 1965, he was arrested and incarcerated in prison for 16 months.

He made a major contribution in building the Communist movement in Tamilnadu and he served as the secretary of state committee from 1995 to 2002. He was the party Central Committee Member for more than two decades. He was elected thrice to the Tamilnadu state Assembly in 1967, 1977 and 1980. He was the leader of the CPI(M) group in the Assembly in 1977 and 1980.

He was also involved in organizing peasants and became the General Secretary and President of the All India Kisan Sabha.

He was an erudite speaker in chaste Tamil and could drive home the working class politics and policies among the toiling people lucidly. In the death of Comrade N. Sankaraiah, Indian working class movement has lost one of its tallest leaders of having great legacy of sacrifice and dedication. CITU dips its red flag in memory and respect of Com N. Sankaraiah, and convey its heartfelt condolences to his two sons and family members.  

Issued By
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) is extremely grieved at the passing away of the veteran leader of the working class movement and also a veteran parliamentarian comrade Basudeb Acharia, today on 13^th November 2023 after prolonged ailment in a hospital at Hyderabad at the age of 82. Com Basudeb Acharia had been the national Vice President of CITU for decades and had been the permanent invitee to the national secretariat of CITU since last six years.

Comrade Basudeb Acharia got actively involved in the working class movement from the very beginning of active political life and played the frontline role in the trade union movement across the sectors, both organized and unorganized. Till his demise he had been the President of All India Coal Workers Federation and led many militant struggles of coal workers including numerous strike actions. Besides coal, he was also active in coordinating the movement of Railway workers in various segments, viz., Loco Running, railway contract workers of various trades/occupations and played crucial role in getting a large sections of temporary/casual/contract workers regularized as permanent workers in Railways. He was also involved in FCI workers’ movement and many others.  He was also President of All India Union of LIC Agents till its last Conference.

Com Basudeb Acharia also played a memorable role as a veteran Parliamentarian during his long nine time tenure as a member of Lok Sabha, elected from West Bengal from 1980 till 2014 in championing the cause of the toiling people of the country, both inside and outside the Parliament. He played crucial role as Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Railways in opposing, and in many cases halting the neoliberal privatization oriented measures in Railways by the successive govts at the centre. And the most memorable part of his services to the toiling people had been that his door was always open to all the workers irrespective of their trade union affiliations and their states, whosoever approached him for any difficulties/problems. He used to respond to all of them with his intervention.

Comrade Basudeb Acharia throughout his active political life did articulate as to how the movement of the working people is effectively advanced, promoted and also combined through united struggles outside the Parliament along with effective interventions within the Parliamentary forum. His forthright interventions within the Parliament on all the issues and occasions of the struggles of the working people will be remembered for ever.

His failing health owing to various ailments could not deter him from his physical presence and interventions in most of the important struggles by the working class, both at national level and in at sectoral level in numerous sectors. He rarely failed to attend the organizational meetings of CITU. As President of All India Coal Workers Federation, com Acharia used to move to different collieries throughout the country. Even a month or so before his demise, he was seen in attending the dharna of Loco Running Staff, demonstration by FCI godown workers in Adra, Purulia and the adjoining area. Till the last breath, except during his detention in hospital, Com Basudev Acharia rarely failed to remain active in the struggle of the working people from the frontline.

With his passing away, the working class movement lost a stalwart leader with the strongest conviction in the ideology of the working class and the determinant role of the working class in the battle for change of the exploitative system; a big void is created which is difficult to fill up.

CITU conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members of the departed leader, dips its banner and submits homage of respect to the great contribution of comrade Basudeb Acharia for the cause of the people and the toiling class. Red Salute to Comrade Basudeb Acharia……    

Tapan Sen
General Secretary