Port Blair, Oct 10: The North Andaman Zonal Conference of CITU was held at Diglipur on 9th October, 2022. Mr.Vijoo Krishnan, All India Joint Secretary of All India Kisan Sabha inaugurated the Conference. In his inaugural address, Mr.Vijoo Krishnan briefly explained the history of trade union movement in the world. Referring to the situation in the country, he said that the wrong economic policies followed by the successive governments resulted in the job loss in large number in the country.
He said that promises made by the BJP during 2014 Parliament election that two crores of jobs will be created every year remain as an eyewash. The BJP government has brought 4 Labour Codes in place of all existing labour laws with a view to deny even the basic rights of working class. If these Labour Codes are implemented, among other things, workers have to work 12 hours per day instead of the present 8 hours.
He called upon the delegates attending the CITU Conference to educate the working class to support the Left candidates in the Parliament and local body elections in the islands. He further said that privatization, contractorisation and outsourcing of government work have become the policy of the BJP government. He said that world over; the working class is facing difficulties created by the ruling capitalist parties. He expressed confidence that a joint movement by farmers and mazdoors will definitely throw away the autocratic and corporate-friendly Modi government in the next Lok Sabha election.
Mr. D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) State Secretary while addressing the CITU Zonal Conference called upon the workers to strengthen the CITU to fight for their genuine and long-pending demands. Mr. B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary, CITU State Committee while addressing the Conference enumerated the instances where the BJP-led central government and its Administration disregarded the court orders which were in favour of the workers. He also expressed concern over the anti-working class decisions of the government and A & N Administration. Mr.Ramjeeban Sarkar, State Vice President, All India Kisan Sabha emphasized the need to have joint movement of workers and farmers in the islands.
Earlier, Mr. Sunil Bepari, Vice President, CITU North Andaman Zonal Committee hoisted the CITU flag at the venue of the Conference while leaders and delegates paid tributes to the martyrs at the specially erected Martyrs Memorial Column at the Conference venue. Mr.Barun Biswas presented the Report on the activities of the CITU in North Andaman since last Conference. A large number of workers from various parts of North Andaman attended the Conference.