Jammu: A protest was organised here today by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) at Maharaja Hari Singh Park in Jammu city against the “anti-workers, anti-farmers and anti-people policies” of both the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration.
On the occasion, CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is also the president of CITU, took a dig at the UT administration over the acute power crisis, especially in the Kashmir Valley, criticising it for not making any arrangements before the winter.
The CPI (M) leader asked all political parties to raise their voice unitedly on the issue. “Our people are punished because of the Indus Waters treaty between India and Pakistan. We have raised this issue many times in the assembly and even held meetings with past prime ministers and sought compensation for the losses being suffered by J&K because of the treaty,” he said.
Tarigami added that “40 percent electricity was sought but nothing happened”. He said even the Rangarajan committee formed by the government had recommended returning two power projects to J&K to address the power crisis but even that has not been done till date.
Addressing the gathering, the CPI(M) leader expressed serious concern over “unending problems” being faced by farmers, workers and the common man due to “job losses, unemployment and spiralling prices of all essentials”.
“Due to government policies, the indebtedness of farmers has increased and agrarian economy is continuing to face a crisis despite their contribution in the enhanced production. All the hard won rights of the workers have been watered down through pro-employer labour codes for ease of doing business,” he said.
After strong opposition by trade unions against privatisation, the government brought the National Monetisation Pipeline project and “handed over” all public sector assets to big corporations “to make money without any investment,” Tarigami said.
“Rs15.32 lakh crores have been written off by the public sector banks during the last nine years but this government is not ready to write off debts of peasants,” he added.
