New Delhi, Feb 12: With trade unions observing a day-long strike against the Centre’s policies, the Congress on Thursday expressed support for them and Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government ignored the voices of workers and farmers while making decisions concerning their future.
Gandhi wondered whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will listen to them now or if there is a “grip” on him too strong.
Employees and workers associated with a joint forum of central trade unions observed a day-long strike on Thursday to show their “resistance to anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the central government”.
The forum has claimed that 30 crore workers are being mobilised for a “general strike” to protest against the new labour code, among other issues.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said all the country’s trade unions, farmers, and workers are on the streets against the Modi government’s trade deal, labour laws and the “snatching away of MGNREGA”.
“We stand firmly against the anti-people TRAP DEAL, which has mortgaged the future of millions of toiling farmers, workers, and labourers. Succumbing to foreign pressure, the Modi government has tampered with the lives of crores of citizens of the country,” he alleged.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Modi, Kharge said those who chanted “Abki baar Trump sarkaar’ have harmed India’s national interest, and the biggest opposition to this comes from our workers, small traders, and the common people.
“From the streets to Parliament, our struggle will continue,” Kharge added.
Gandhi alleged that the government ignored the voices of workers and farmers while making decisions concerning their future and asked whether Prime Minister Modi will listen to them now or if there is a “grip” on him too strong.
Gandhi’s attack on the government came a day after he alleged that the India-US interim trade deal was a “wholesale surrender”, with India’s energy security handed over to America and farmers’ interests compromised.
In a post on X in Hindi, Gandhi said, “Today, lakhs of workers and farmers across the country are on the streets to raise their voices for their rights.” He said that the workers fear that the four labour codes will weaken their rights.
