Centre's transport policies anti-poor, says CITU leader

Hisar, July 17

Stating that the Centre was making transport costlier by cutting down subsidies given to the poor, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) General Secretary and former MP Tapan Sen stated that there was a need to launch a fight against the “anti-transport policies” of the government.

Addressing the national conference of the All India Road Transport Workers Federation here today, he stressed on linking government transport workers and private transporters with the unions of the respective states as the “anti-people policies” of the government were also affecting small transporters. He said it was the bounden duty of the government to provide transport facilities to the general public at affordable rates.

“Citing rising international crude oil prices, petrol and diesel prices are being increased time and again. Refining crude oil costs only Rs 2 per litre. Instead of giving relief from uncontrollable inflation, the government is levying 50 per cent of the total price of petrol and diesel in terms of taxes, which causes further increase in inflation,” he said.

The CITU leader emphasised that along with intensifying their struggles, the politics behind the “anti-people” and “anti-worker” policies being implemented by the Central Government should also be understood. He called for strengthening the organisation and creating a vast movement for the policies of public welfare across the country.

Subhash Lamba, state president of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh Haryana, said the conference adopted resolutions against inflation, especially curtailing the rising prices of petrol, diesel and LPG, food items, rising unemployment; withdrawal of recruitment of Agniveers, bringing all workers of the unorganised sector under social security, opposing arrest and filing of cases and sending to jail those agitating or dissenting against the policies of the government.