Joint Press Statement by CITU-AIKS-AIAWU (Sept 5, 2022)

5th September, 2022

Thousands of workers, peasants and agricultural workers who have gathered today in this historic National Convention at Talkatora Stadium in the National Capital at the call of CITU, AIKS and AIAWU on the 4th anniversary of historic ‘Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Rally’ held on 5th September, 2018, unanimously decided to strengthen the unity of these three class organizations and intensify joint combative actions against anti workers, anti farmers and anti people neo liberal policies pursued by ruling dispensation. The Convention called upon crores of workers, peasants and agricultural workers across the country to extend support and solidarity in all possible ways to each others’ independent struggles and build strong direct joint actions.

This joint convention decided to hold a massive militant mobilization of workers, farmers and agricultural workers in ‘Mazdoor Sangharsh Rally 2.0’ during 2023 budget session of Parliament. The convention asserted that the National Capital will witness the biggest ever mobilization of wealth producing classes in the history of independent India. This joint convention also unanimously decided to conduct extensive joint campaigns from October 2022 to February 2023 to make the workers, peasants and agricultural workers combat ready to unleash offensive direct resistance struggles against the neo liberal policy onslaughts.

The presidium comprised of Comrade K Hemalata, President, CITU, Comrade Ashok Dhawale, President, AIKS and Comrade A Vijayraghaban, President, AIAWU. Comrade Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU, Comrade HannanMollah, General Secretary, AIKS and Comrade B Venkat, General Secretary, AIAWU addressed the joint convention supporting the joint declaration of these three organizations. Comrade Debashish Basu (BEFI), Comrade Abhimanyu (BSNLEU), Comrade Parashar (CCGEW),Comrade Sreekumar (AISGEF), Comrade Bhatnagar (AIIEA), Comrade Amraram, Comrade Prakashan Master, Comrade D Ravindran , Comrade Sumit Dalal and Sunil Adhikari of AIKS and Comrade Lalita Balan, Comrade Venkateswaran, Comrade Amiya Patra, Comrade Brijlal Bharti and Comrade Vikram Singh of AIAWU addressed the joint convention. Leaders of Bank, Insurance, BSNL, Central and State government employees federations and other peasants and agricultural organizations also addressed the convention.

The joint convention noted that the present Modi-led BJP regime controlled by the RSS is destroying whatever we, the people have built brick by brick through our labour and whatever we have achieved through our struggles and sacrifices, during the last 75 years. It is trampling underfoot the dream of our freedom fighters, of an India free, not only from British colonialism, but all forms of oppression and discrimination on the basis of their class, caste, creed, religion or gender, of a nation where its people can live with freedom and dignity.

This convention asserts that the struggle today is not only for our immediate demands of livelihood and living and working conditions but also to save the country’s economy, to save the secular democratic character of our society from this communal and authoritarian BJP-RSS regime.

Hence, this convention calls upon the workers, peasants and agricultural workers all over the country to rise unitedly to fight for the just demands and to work tirelessly for the defeat of the neo-liberal, communal and authoritarian regime of the BJP-RSS.

The convention reiterated basic demands of the working people of this country such as, Ensure Minimum wages @Rs26,000 pm and Pension @Rs10,000 to all workers, Legally ensure MSP @ C2+50%for all farm produce with guaranteed procurement, scrap the four labour codes and Electricity Amendment Bill 2020, provide 200 workdays at wages Rs. 600 per day under MNREGA with expansion to urban areas and one time loan waiver to poor and middle peasants and agricultural workers. The joint convention also raised the demands to stop privatisation of PSUs, scrap NMP, scrap Agnipath, arrest price rise and strengthen and universalise PDS, pension @Rs. 10,000 for all workers and tax the super rich.

To take these demands to the workers, peasants and agricultural workers across the country, this convention calls upon all the units, up to the lowest level, of all the three organisations to take up an intensive and extensive campaign from October 2022 to February 2023, through distribution of leaflets, posters, wall writing, group meetings, jathas, processions etc. on the issues and demands including local demands during the next four months, aiming to reach the unreached, as planned in the state and district joint meetings.

This joint convention also calls upon all progressive, democratic and patriotic people of our country to extend support and solidarity to this nation-wide campaign and programmes, to Save the Nation and Save the People!

Issued by

Tapan Sen, Centre of Indian Trade Unions

Hannan Mollah, All India Kisan Sabha

B Venkat, All India Agricultural Workers Union