The RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is observing a week-long demonstration “Sarkar Jagao Saptah” across the nation till 30 July. The aim is to solve problems of the country’s workforce at the national, state, industry and local levels.
The National Office Bearers of the BMS, in its virtual meeting held on 7 July, decided to host sector-wise demonstrations at state capitals, district headquarters, tehsil/block centres and all big industrial estates. The emeeting was presided over by BMS national president C.K. Saji Narayanan and convened by general secretary Virjesh Upadhyay.
The labour union, during the seven days, would put pressure on the government to ensure national register for migrant workers, jobs and wages during the ongoing lockdown, withdrawal of orders by states to increase working hours from 8 to 12 hours per day and immediately end the privatisation of defence and railways.
“As a part of Sarkar Jagao Saptah, BMS activists will contact grassroots level workers/employees of each sector and educate them about the central as well as state govts’ latest policies and their severe impact on labour. It will also expose the anti-workers ordinances brought by four state govts and increase of working hours from 8 to 12 hours by 12 by state govts,” the union said in a statement.
It added, “Each day workers belonging to one particular sector will conduct processions and street-corner meeting/public meeting/ hall meeting as per the local situations by following all the Covid-19 norms.”
BMS activists have also contacted MPs from different parties to raise their voice in favour of labour rights in both houses. The BMS has also directed all its units to contact independent unions and other independent industrial federations to seek their participation in the demonstrations.