Bharat Bandh: Brawl between police and protesters in Ramanathapuram
The protesters organised a picket outside the head post office and raised a slew of demands including revocation of contentious four labour laws, filling of existing vacancies and dropping of privatisation plans of public sectors and workers' outsourcing practice.
M. Sivaji, CITU district secretary, said their demands included fixing a minimum wage of ₹26,000 a month and a minimum pension of ₹9,000 a month.
Other demands included declaring the jobs of ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers permanent as their roles were important. 'The workers by being a medium between society and government have strengthened rural health care and childcare to an unimaginable level,' he added.
When their jobs themselves were precarious, how would they think of delivering fair and sincere work, Mr. Sivaji said.
As the system of contractual labour was being taken up in almost all sectors, the protection of unorganised workers was indispensable. 'Only by constituting a central finance commission would the unorganised workers be safeguarded. Despite laws mandating job protection to the labours, none of the employers have taken that seriously,' he noted.
'To protect farmers and agricultural produce, the government should fix a decent minimum support price for the produces. Only by securing a good return for farmers, the intrusion of corporates and middlemen into agriculture sector can be controlled,' he stated.
Also, he condemned the unbecoming behaviour of the police against protesters who attempted to hold a peaceful protest.
During the brawl, Mr. Sivaji experienced suffocation and was taken to a hospital for treatment. More than 500 protesters in different places such as Ramanathapuram, Paramakudi, Thiruvadanai, Sikkal, Kamuthi and Mudukulathur were detained by the police and were later released in the evening.
The Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) staged a separate demonstration raising similar demands.
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