Labour Codes will deprive workers of their rights, says CPI national council member JVSN Murthy

CPI national council member JVSN Murthy (Nani) has said that bringing out four Labour Codes and replacing the existing Labour Laws, without consulting the stakeholders is nothing but an attempt to deprive workers of their rights, and allow managements of industries and corporate groups to have their way.

Addressing a media conference at the CPI Office, here, on Tuesday (February 10), Mr. Murthy alleged that the ‘pro-worker’ policies in the previous labour laws were removed, and many of the trade union Acts no longer apply under the new Labour Codes. The conditions under which workers can go for strike have been made very tough, which would prevent them from going on strike.

He said that after the Modi government came to power at the Centre in 2014, it had not conducted the mandatory Annual Indian Labour Conference till date. The government has to hold consultations with trade unions, industry bodies like the CII and management representatives before amending labour laws but no discussions were held with the stakeholders before converting the labour laws into Labour Codes. The private managements would have the liberty to increase the working hours, in the absence of government supervision.

Condemning the Labour Codes, and extending total support, on behalf of the CPI, to the one-day general strike to be observed across the country on February 12, he said that thrty workers and leaders would participate in the strike.

Recalling the statements of Home Minister Amit Shah on Communism, Mr. Murthy said that Maoists may be physically eliminated in the name of ‘Operation Kagar’ but ‘Communism’, which was the root of such ideologies could not be wiped out. He said that Zohran Mamdani had flown the socialist flag in New York City by winning the Mayor election in the heart of America.

The CPI leader also alleged that the growing impact of ‘medical mafia’ in India was causing untold hardship to the common people. He flayed Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for toeing the line of the Modi government, and said that the proposal to handover government medical colleges in A.P. to private investors in the name of “PPP’ was an indication of this. He said that the CPI would launch protests all over the State from February 14 to oppose the policies of the State government.

He said that the spat between the ruling TDP and the Opposition YSRCP on the ‘Tirupati Laddu’ was hurting the sentiments of devotees. CPI district secretary Sk Rahaman, executive members M. Pydiraju and M. Manmadha Rao were present.