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NDTV
5 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Need To Assess Impact Of New Technologies On Society: RSS Chief
New Delhi: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday called for an assessment of the impact of emerging technologies on society and the labour market, saying it must be ensured that they do not impact work opportunities. Addressing an event held here to mark 70 years of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh's foundation, Bhagwat underscored the need to pay greater attention to the unorganised sector to ensure that workers do not face any exploitation by their employers. Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya was present at the event, attended by a large number of delegates, including representatives of various trade unions. "Technology is coming ... When new technologies come, they bring many new questions as well. What will happen to unemployment? Will it reduce unemployment, or increase?" Bhagwat said in an apparent reference to Artificial Intelligence and concerns around its use. He said technology makes mankind's nature a "bit harsh" and "somewhat" reduces the respect for labour. "Technology can't be rejected. New technology will come. But how to handle it and ensure that it doesn't affect the labour sector needs to be looked into," he said. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief said the use of new technologies should bring happiness in society, instead of creating "new problems." "That's why there is a need to ponder over (this issue) and act. We will have to do this," he added. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is an affiliate of the RSS. Addressing the event, Mandaviya said different trade unions have different work cultures, which align with their ideologies, but the BMS has prepared their working culture according to the Indian lifestyle, "which is reflected in their discussion on labour issues with me." It is the workers who make roads, bridges and other infrastructure, and it is this strength that is driving the development and economic growth of the country, he said. The minister said a delegation, led by the BMS International Labour Conference, presented the India Model at the International Labour Organisation. "We have managed Covid with the India Model and succeeded. Service of mankind is our nature, and that is why India managed the COVID pandemic very well," the minister said. He hoped that the BMS would work for the welfare of workers and the nation with full vigour.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Mohan Bhagwat flags threats to jobs from AI, calls for labour-centric tech policy
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence could impact employment and reduce respect for labour. He called for urgent assessment and policy responses to safeguard workers' interests. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressing an event in New Delhi.(PTI) 'Technology is coming... When new technologies come, they bring many new questions as well. What will happen to unemployment? Will it reduce unemployment, or increase it?' Bhagwat said at an event in Delhi marking 70 years of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the labour wing affiliated with the RSS. Stressing that technology 'can't be rejected,' Bhagwat said it should be 'customised' to suit the needs of society and protect the dignity of labour. 'Technology makes mankind's nature a bit harsh and somewhat reduces the respect for labour,' he said. His remarks come amid growing debate over the role of AI and automation in India's workforce, particularly in the unorganised sector, which employs nearly 90% of the labour force. Bhagwat said the sector needs urgent attention. 'The unorganised sector is vast. Even within the organised sector, there's an unorganised aspect. We need to work for this sector and their self-respect,' he said. Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya, who also spoke at the event, said trade unions operate differently based on their ideological orientation, but the BMS aligns its work culture with 'the Indian lifestyle.' He said the 'India Model' was presented by a BMS-led delegation at the International Labour Organization (ILO), showcasing how India managed labour welfare during COVID-19. 'We have managed COVID with the India Model and succeeded. Service of mankind is our nature, and that is why India managed the pandemic very well,' Mandaviya said. Bhagwat used the occasion to reflect on the BMS's growth and called for a new model for labour organisation aligned with evolving global realities. 'We had to operate within the existing system. Times have changed now, and perhaps it's time for us to create a new model based on our ideology and the changing global landscape,' he said. 'They used to say to Thengadi ji, 'Your saffron flag cannot be hoisted in this field.' But after 70 years, we have become a global giant and the No. 1 workers' organisation in the country,' he added. Bhagwat also flagged concerns about the wider impact of tech-driven transformation. 'Technological transformation is another challenge. Knowledge-based technology needs to be thought about with a new perspective—it can devalue the prestige of shram (labour),' he said. Calling the 'Udyog Pariwar' concept—a framework that positions workers and employers as part of the same industrial family—a unique contribution by BMS to the labour movement, Bhagwat said many international trade unions are observing its model closely. But he added, 'The objective of 'Workers Unite the World' is still a distant dream.' 'If labourers suffer, society suffers. Working for labourers is our primary inspiration,' he said.
