On February 28, 2012 the Indian working class, its trade unions and organisations gave a call for an All-India strike in opposition to the proposals of the UPAgovernment for labour reforms in the interest of the capitalists. The strike call was for the defeat of the programme of privatization and liberalization, and against the bail out for the capitalists at the expense of the people.
On February 28, 2012 the Indian working class, its trade unions and organisations gave a call for an All-India strike in opposition to the proposals of the UPAgovernment for labour reforms in the interest of the capitalists. The strike call was for the defeat of the programme of privatization and liberalization, and against the bail out for the capitalists at the expense of the people. The working class put forward its demands for nationalization and socialization of banking and trade, an end to price rise and for a universal PDS.
The anger of the lakhs of workers against the capitalist system and its policies was evident in the metropolis of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta and Chennai, and on the streets of thousands of cities and towns.
Workers went on strike and shut down central and state enterprises – banks, insurance, postal, port and dock, health, coal and mining, electricity and security agencies. Students and employees of universities, colleges and schools participated enthusiastically in the strike. Lakhs of workers in the transport sector, electricity, municipal service, communication – telephone, MTNL, BSNL, auto and taxi drivers, private bus operators and gas agencies, etc. joined the strike to voice their strong opposition to the government’s policies.
Production came to a standstill as a result of the strike in the construction and service industries in Delhi’s neighbouring areas of Faridabad, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurgaon, Daruheda, Bhiwari as well as in other state capitals.
The Central Trade Unions and locally strong workers organizations and unions organized several joint meetings for overa month to strategise for the success of this strike. The workers made the strategic demand, through slogans and street corner meetings, processions and demonstrations, for“giving legal recognition to rights of all workers and for ensuring their implementation” and for “making the February 28th strike a success”!
On the day of the strike, the workers organized rallies and meetings in various parts of the country in opposition to the capitalists’ loot and oppression and against the pro capitalist policies of the government.In these joint meetings, the workers raised slogans of, “Down with capitalist democracy!”, “Fight for socialist democracy!”, “Fight with the aim of establishing the rule of the workers and peasants!”
The activists of Mazdoor Ekta Committee distributed the statement of the Communist Ghadar Party of India in large numbers at the rallies, demonstrations and meetings.The statement called on the workers to “Unite to protect the universal rights of all workers!” “Defeat the programme of privatization and liberalization!” and “Fight with the aim of establishing the rule of workers and peasants!”
This strike enthused the workers to take the fight ahead and inspired them to advance their struggle. The workers unitedly expressed their anger against the capitalist system.
Mazdoor Ekta Lehar sends its revolutionary greeting to the working class for making the strike a resounding success.