Protesters condemn government’s ‘anti-worker’ policies during 'Jail Bharo' protest in Karnal

Farmers, government employees and workers of ASHA, Angnawadi and mid-day meal schemes protested in the city and courted arrest on a national-level call given by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Central Trade Unions on Monday.

They are demanding the repeal of the four labour codes, a legal guarantee of minimum support prices (MSP) for crops, withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill and a minimum wage of Rs 42,000 for workers.

Besides, the protesters sought scrapping of the VB G-RAM-G Bill and opposed the India-US trade deal. They demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh and rehabilitation for families of farmers, who died by suicide. The farmers asked the government to cancel the trade agreements with the United States, which they alleged adversely affected agriculture, industry and workers.

Describing the policies of the Union Government as “anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-people”, Sushil Gurjar, district president of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, said they courted arrest and the police released them later.

Earlier, the protesters assembled at Sector 12 and took out a march towards Mini-Secretariat. They were detained and taken to another place in buses.

Sudeep Dutta, national president of Electricity Employees Federation of India, said the ‘Jail Bharo’ programmes were organised across the country and lakhs of protesters courted arrest as part of the agitation.

He said rising unemployment and inflation, privatisation of public sector undertakings and services, attacks on workers’ rights through the labour codes, failure of the government to address farmers’ demands, free trade agreements are needed to be opposed collectively.

“Attempts are being made to divide society along communal and caste lines,” he alleged.