Some of India’s farmers are among the country’s poorest people, but government policies have long protected them from the ravages of open market prices.
A set of three laws passed in September aims to deregulate India’s enormous agriculture sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said they will “liberate” farmers from the tyranny of middlemen. But many farmers fear that they stand to lose more than they could gain from the new regulations and that the main beneficiaries will be agricultural corporations.
As a result, the farmers have taken to the streets in the biggest such protests in years.
Ten central trade unions have decided to support the all-India protests by farmers against the farm bills and highlight the employer-friendly provisions in the three labour code bills recently passed by Parliament.
The ten central unions include Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC) and Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA).All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress. The BJP-aligned Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh will not participate in the strike.
Others are All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress. The BJP-aligned Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh will not participate in the strike.
Written By:
Lavisha Raheja