By Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network—Bantwal (RD/CN)
 
Bantwal, Sep 8: The labourers of the unorganized sector staged a protest at B C Road, on Tuesday September 7 as part of the nationwide call by the Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU), against the union administration for rise in prices of most essential commodities.
 
The protesters urged the union government to introduce public distribution of rations, to protect the employment of people working in enterprises that are hit by global economic downturn, to enforce labour laws strictly, to withdraw all the restrictions laid under unorganized workers social security Act 2008, to ease the fiscal deficit, and to withdraw share capital investment in public sector undertakings.

 
AITUC Dakshina Kannada president V Kukyan said that the general life of the labour class had been affected significantly due to the economic and industrial policies followed by the union government at the outset of globalization.
 
“The union government has been favouring Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) including Indian conglomerates in awarding projects without genuine concern for common folks”, said Kukyan.  “What can one expect from MPs who are corrupted and own properties more than their known income?  This is applicable to nearly 40 percent of MPs”, he added.  He urged the gathering to stage a united struggle so as to oppose the anti-people policy of both union and state governments.
 
CITU district secretary Vasant Achary said that both union and state governments are engaged in anti-people policies despite their manifesto.  Meanwhile, he urged the gathering to be united in changing the regime if the existing governments does not heed their demand for change in policies. 
 
Achary urged the governments to provide 35 kg of rice via public distribution channels at the rate of Rs 2 per kg.  He urged that the laws enacted for the welfare of the unorganized sector labourers be strictly enforced.
 
AITUC state vice-president B Vishwanath Naik, AITUC state committee member P Sanjeev, and district leader Vasu Gatti were present on the occasion. 
 
AITUC leaders Suresh Kumar, D Henry Lobo, K Eshwar, Umavati, and CITU leader Ramanna Vittal, Janaki and others led the protest.
 
AITUC taluk secretary B Shekar delivered the introductory address while Sanjeev Bangera proposed the vote of thanks.