Budget 2022-23 presented today in Parliament is full of high decibel sound bites with little  substance. The Budget also in continuance of the Economic Survey presented one day before reflects its cruel insensitivity  to the unimaginable miseries in the form of huge loss of livelihood, loss of earnings, deepening impoverishment and intensified hunger in the midst of orchestrated price-rise,  still being suffered by the majority of the populace along with simultaneous minting of huge fortunes by the handful of big corporate class, thereby portraying an extremely  obscene inequality, not permissible in any civilized society. The so called “inclusive growth”, “financial inclusion” severally pronounced by the Finance Minister  in her speech displays shameless hypocrisy of the BJP Govt and nothing else.   

The Budget is presented in the overall background of desperate and destructive privatization drive embracing the infrastructure, manufacturing and mineral sectors in entirety, facilitating transfer of resources from National kitty to private hands, both domestic and foreign. The Finance Minister at the very beginning of her budget speech patted herself back for its successful bonanza of the National Carrier Air India and Nilachal Ispat to the TATAs and reiterating Govt’s resolve of further transfer of  state-owned capital assets to private sector, both domestic and foreign. In fact, under Modi regime, economic policy making is gradually being hijacked out of the purview of the Parliamentary process and the Current Budget reveals the same authoritarian and anti-people destructive trend, much to the detriment of the national interests.

In that background, the Budget figures do not match with the noise of enhanced capital expenditure for productive employment generation, claimed to have been budgeted in the budget speech. Effective Capital expenditure budgeted in 2022-23 is Rs 1.06 lakh crore revealing a marginal and insignificant rise compared to actual expenditure on the same head in 2021-22, and getting largely neutralized by the inflationary impact. In fact, the effective capital expenditure for 2022-23 is well below the actual capital receipt of previous year by around Rs 63000 crore. And even this budgeted capital expenditure drawn from national exchequer meant for development of infrastructure and logistics will be mostly routed through private corporates as repeatedly asserted by the Minister in her speech; already announced project of National Monetisation Pipeline brought to light the programme of such orchestrated drainage of public fund and assets to the disposal of private corporate.

In the background of drastic fall in consumption expenditure in the economy mostly suffered by the majority of the toiling populace in absolute distress, need of the hour has been an aggressive demand-augmentation measures through focused enhancement of expenditure for the welfare and social heads and focused programme of employment generation. But true to its class character and big-business servile orientation, the Govt has moved in just opposite direction.  The claim of 60 lakh additional employment generation in five years is nothing but a hoax.

The Budget exposed its brazenly anti-people contractionary character on all counts. The revenue expenditure budgeted in 2022-23 of Rs 3.19 lakh crore supposed to include the so called host of welfare schemes named after Prime Minister marks an increase by less than 1%, despite a huge increase in GST collection as boasted by Finance Minister in her budget speech. To be specific on some of those items, the allocation on MNREGA is reduced to Rs 73000 crore from Rs 98000 crore previous year; in the face of increased intensity of widespread hunger, food subsidy  under National Food Security Act has been slashed down by 30%; fertilizer subsidy has been also drastically cut by 25% and petroleum subsidy by 11% in the face of skyrocketing fuel price. Even the allocation for Mid-day-meal scheme, (now renamed as PM-Poshan) faced a drastic cut by Rs 1267 crore.

Similarly, allocations for MSP for paddy and wheat has been slashed down by Rs 11000 crore; the allocations for PM Fasal Bima Yojana, PM-Kisan Yojana, Crop Husbandry, etc –all faced a drastic cut. For National Health Mission, and Anganwadi (ICDS), there is no increase in allocations meaning thereby a cut, if inflation is taken into account. There are many such examples.

Budget did not bother about the miseries being faced by the working people during the pandemic in the form of loss of livelihood and earnings and also widespread and rabid informalisation of employment. Despite demands for relief and expansion of social security universally for all, the budget remained absolutely in a denial mode for the working people who actually create wealth for the nation. Rather the Govt has been squeezing cruelly the toiling people through increasing burden of indirect taxes along with orchestrated price rise of all essential commodities including fuel prices, besides drastic cut in food subsidies.

On the other hand, the Govt is liberal in showering concessions on its corporate masters. In the name of measures for further simplifying tax administration for facilitating compliance, in the current budget the Govt is actually indulging, rather promoting tax-evasion by the habitually defaulting and tax-evading corporate community. As per the documents the circulated along with budget, in 2020-21 tax concessions in the form of incentive to corporate was a whopping Rs 72041 crore, over and above the  huge tax-default by the same big-business class of Rs 4.05 lakh crore. Such a crime on the nation and the people is being further indulged instead of being curbed with strong hand.

CITU considers the current Budget is totally anti-people and utterly destructive so far the national economy is concerned. The working class must oppose the destructive policy regime and assert through united resistance struggle countrywide.

March towards the two day countrywide general strike on 28-29 March 2022 against this destructive anti-people policy regime.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The online meeting of the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Sectoral Federations/ Associations held on 28.01.2022 has changed the dates for Two Days’ Countrywide General Strike Against the Anti-worker, Anti-people, Anti-national Policies of the Govt. to 28-29 March, 2022 from the earlier dates of 23-24 February, 2022.

The meeting recalled the decision of the National Convention of Workers held on 11th November 2021 to organize two days countrywide General Strike during the Budget Session of Parliament in 2022 and accordingly the dates of the strike on 23-24th February 2022 were decided in the joint meeting of the Platform held on 3rd December 2021. 

The meeting noted that preparations for the strike have taken-off in several states and sectors, with joint state level conventions and even district level conventions having taken place in some states. 

However several states have also reported severe constraints placed on strike preparations due to rising third wave of Omicron pandemic. Besides, several factors such as one phase of state assembly elections in UP falling on 23rd February, local body elections in Tamilnadu, Odisha, West Bengal etc. close to 23-24 February were taken note of. Therefore the Joint Platform of the CTUs and Sectoral Federations/ Associations have decided to defer the General Strike dates to 28-29 March, 2022, when the second phase of the Budget Session of Parliament will actually be in session. 

The Joint Platform of CTUs calls upon the working people and their unions irrespective of affiliations to intensify the ongoing preparatory campaign and activities to make the Two Days Countrywide General Strike on 28-29 March 2022 a massive success to assert their pledge to Save the People and Save the Nation from the destructive, anti-national policy regime. The Joint Platform also calls upon the workers and their trade unions in the election-bound states to vigorously campaign for defeating the BJP Govt. whose policies have forced the National Convention of Workers to give a call for two days countrywide strike.

        INTUC                     AITUC                    HMS                     CITU                       AIUTUC

          TUCC                SEWA                      AICCTU                     LPF                    UTUC

                            And Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations

We have been keenly following the developments since the announcement of repeal of farm laws by the Prime Minister on 19^th November 2021. While the common reaction was that of elation at the announcement, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) had taken a cautious stand that though the dharna at Delhi borders was being lifted, many more, equally important demands remain to be fulfilled and future course of action will be decided on the steps the Government takes in the matter.

Unfortunately, the Government seems to be dithering on the promises made to the SKM in writing, such as formation of a committee to look into the question of legal guarantee for MSP for agricultural produce, withdrawal of Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, sacking of Shri Ajay Mishra Teni, the alleged perpetrator of Lakhimpur Kheri atrocity etc. Shri NarendraTomar, the Agricultural Minister, to salvage the image of the PM as having buckled before the rock-like resolve of the Farmers, shamelessly said “we can always enact the laws again”.

Therefore, the decision to observing 31 January as “A Day of Betrayal” is correct and this Government needs to be told that their act of betrayal will not go unnoticed.

We also thank the SKM for their decision to back the nation-wide strike call given by us for 23-24 February, 2022 against the anti-labour, anti-people and anti-national policies comprising of wholesale privatisation of national assets and pushing the labour codes.

We call upon our unions all over India to extend their solidarity support in all possible manner for observing 31^st January as black day.                                                                             

        INTUC                     AITUC                    HMS                     CITU                       AIUTUC

          TUCC                SEWA                      AICCTU                     LPF                    UTUC

                               And Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) strongly condemns the highhanded authoritarian action of the  Haryana State BJP Government by way of invoking the notorious Essential Service Maintenance Act banning the strikes for six month altogether in the health services in the wake of single day strike by the Doctors under the banner of Haryana Civil Medical Service’s Association (HCMSA) yesterday.

The Doctors went on strike demanding, inter alia,  40% quota for in-service doctors for admission to post-graduation courses and creating a specialist cadre of doctors. The health service doctors have long been pursuing their just demands, while rendering whole hearted services in the pandemic management in the state, while risking their lives and safety. The strike has been virtually imposed on the serving doctors by arraogant refusal of the State Govt to even consider their demands. The striking doctors consciously exempted the emergency services such as post-mortem and Corona duties from the strike.  Despite this, the Haryana Government known for its anti-democratic arrogance towards the working people imposed ESMA on pretext of Corona.

CITU, while again denouncing such anti-democratic arms-twisting act, urges the Haryana government to withdraw unconditionally the draconian ESMA and settle the demands of striking doctors through negotiation with their Association.

Issued by
( Tapan Sen )
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) is deeply grieved at the demise of Comrade Rajdeo Goala veteran leader of the trade union movement in West Bengal. Comrade Goala was admitted in a nursing home at Kolkata for age related ailment a few days back. He breathed his last today, 30 December 2021 at around 2 A.M. He was 92.

Born in a working class family Comrade Rajdeo Goala became a Tram worker in Calcutta Tram Company at the age of 15 and was initiated in trade union struggles in the tram company and other public transport sectors. He held various responsibilities in CITU West Bengal as well as at national level. During the pre independent 1946 bloody riot in Kolkata, Comrade Rajdeo Goala led the heroic resistance struggle against divisive communal forces.

Comrade Rajdeo Goala was elected as All India Working Committee Member of CITU from its founding conference in 1970 held in Kolkata. Comrade Goala was also elected as State Secretariat member of CITU West Bengal committee from its first conference in 1971.   

Comrade Rajdeo Goala was a member of West Bengal state legislative assembly from 1991 to 2006.

Comrade Rajdeo Goala joined left movement in 1940’s, he became the Member of Communist Party of India in 1953. After the formation of CPI (M) in 1964, he was elected as state committee member of CPI (M) West Bengal. He was also jailed for long period for his political activities.

CITU conveys its heartfelt condolences at the demise of one of its senior leaders to his family other comrades.

Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The joint platform of CTUs, Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations, whole heartedly congratulate Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) for steering the Farmers Agitation to a successful conclusion and welcome their decision to suspend the year-long agitation at the borders of Delhi, the capital of India.

The working class movement shares fully their jubilation and pride for success, which arises from the proactive involvement of the working class in consistent and continuous solidarity actions throughout the country with the historic farmers’ struggle.

We pay homage to those 715 martyrs who laid down their lives with a message for generations to come, never to bend before any tyrannical force.

It is in keeping with the maturity shown by the SKM all along that even the celebrations, which are but natural when victory is snatched from the jaws of an all powerful adversary-the pro-corporate Central Government-after such arduous struggle, have been postponed by a day, when the Nation is mourning the tragic death of Defence-force chief and his colleagues owing to helicopter-crash in Tamilnadu.

It is in keeping with the alertness shown by the SKM all along that they have decided only to "suspend" the present phase of agitation and to keep a close watch whether the government keeps the promises made.

We, the trade unions, will stand vigil along with the SKM, while carrying on the agitation for the rights of the toiling people, including the forthcoming all India strike on 23-24 February, 2022 against the complete sell out of our national wealth and the atrocious onslaught on the rights and cruelest exploitation of the working people being carried out by the corporate-servile Govt. at the centre.

As for the slogans for the near future, we will whole heartedly take part in "Mission UP" "Mission Uttarakhand" as an integral part of our Mission India programme to “Save the People, Save the Nation”

We consider Workers-Peasants Unity as the priceless achievement of this epic struggle.

    INTUC                        AITUC                                           HMS                              CITU                                 AIUTUC

               TUCC                        SEWA                                AICCTU                               LPF                             UTUC

                                                      And Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations

Join the SKM to Celebrate the Historic Victory of Farmers Struggle on 11th December 2021

The historic victory of the farmers struggle marks the success of democracy over the corporate driven authoritarian and communal forces that dictate the Modi Government.

This great victory of the peasantry and working class over the corporate and neo-liberal forces will further strengthen democracy, secularism and plural culture of India. This will also strengthen the struggles of various sections of the society against the neoliberal policies.

We appeal to the entire people in our country to join SKM to make the victory celebrations massive on 11th December 2021, across India and also at the Delhi Borders.

Let us celebrate with colours, balloons, musical instruments, flags, road shows, distribution of sweets in every village, town and city.

All sections of the people - farmers, workers, agricultural workers, women, youth and students, teachers, employees, traders, entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, journalists, intellectuals, cultural activists etc. are invited to join the celebrations tomorrow.

With greetings,

Tapan Sen    Hannan Mollah      B Venkat      Marium Dhawale    Abhay Mukherjee   Mayukh Biswas
  CITU               AlKS                 AlAWU                AIDWA                 DYFI                      SFI

Issued by,
TAPAN SEN
General Secretary, CITU

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions   denounces the  direly undemocratic act of suspension of 12 opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha on ground of so called alleged unruly behaviour in the house during the last session of Parliament.  Suspended MPs  also include Elamaram Kareem, National Secretary of CITU among others. 

In fact on the concerned day, the legitimate demand of the opposition MPs for structured discussion on General Insurance Amendment Bill, aimed at privatization/disinvestment of public sector General Insurance Companies  as listed in the Business and also the legitimate demand for voting on the Bill were denied in a most undemocratic manner on unfounded pleas.

Suspension of the opposition MPs for the entire winter session on such unfounded pleas tantamount to trampling underfoot the basic democratic norms and  the parliamentary process itself. In the current session of Parliament  the BJP Govt has planned number of destructive legislations like Bank Nationalisation Amendment Bill, Electricity Amendment Bill, PFRDA Amendment Bill etc –all designed to push through its aggressive privatization drive. Suspension of opposition MPs is also aimed at facilitating that process.

CITU condemns such authoritarian onslaught of the Govt on democratic institutions and democratic rights of the people and calls upon the toiling people to raise their voice of protest against such authoritarian and anti-people destructive policies of the Govt through united countrywide struggles of resistance  against the anti-people and anti-democratic policy regime. 

Issued by
(Tapan Sen)
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) takes note of the statement made by the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi through media that his government will withdraw the three farm acts enacted by his government last year. This needs Parliamentary procedure bringing an enactment.

The consistent and continuous struggle by the kisans under the leadership of Samyukta Kisan Morcha with determination with the active support of the working class under the leadership of trade union movement and also supported by all sections of the people has compelled the ruling  dispensation to take one step back and made the PM apologize to the nation. This is a clear message to the Govt that the wealth-producing class, the workers and peasants shall never accept lying down the anti-people policies of ruling dispensation.

At the same time, the statement by the Prime Minister is silent on the issue of withdrawal of proposed Electricity Amendment Bill and the  statutory enactment on Minimum Support Price at the rate of C2+50% for all crops with guaranteed procurement, which are also the major demands of the ongoing farmers’ struggle. These issues are no less important and must be conceded to.

Nearly 700 farmers have sacrificed their lives in this struggle. Mr. Ajay Mishra Teni who is the prime accused in the gruesome murder of four farmers and a journalist in Lakhimpur Kheri still continues to be a Minister in Modi’s cabinet. The murder accused must be brought to book immediately.

While congratulating the struggling farmers for their historic determined united struggle forcing such a retreat by the Govt, we reiterate our resolve to strengthen the worker peasant joint actions and struggles to change the anti worker- anti kisan-anti-people policies of the government. We are sure that the resolve taken at the national convention of workers on 11 November 2021 supported by the leadership of SKM in this direction including two days’ strike during the budget session of Parliament will be carried out vigorously with the heightened confidence on the might of peoples’ struggles in changing the anti national policies inflicting miseries, widespread destitution, hunger, joblessness, demolishing labour-rights and democratic rights etc on the toiling people and also putting the national infrastructures and assets to ransom through aggressive privatization drive and latest infamous National Monetisation Pipeline(NMP) project.

Whatever decisions the SKM will take on the future course of their struggle, the trade union movement will continue with active support which is being extended since the beginning of this historic struggle. We call upon the working class and the peasantry to strengthen the unity and intensify the struggles against the anti people policies of the BJP/NDA government.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary