Bank Strike Another successful day of struggle NPMO Campaign Against Insurance and patent Bills Attact on Minorities A Protest

Online Report

The National Platform of Mass Organisations (NPMO) met at the CITU office on 14th January evening to discuss on the future course of programmes against the disastrous Economic policies of government of India and its patronage to communal forces, in the aftermath of massive countrywide strike on 11th December 1998.

The meeting was presided over by K.L.Mahendra, general secretary of AITUC and attended by 40 representatives of the constituents of NPMO, which included the central trade unions, national federations and organisations of the peasantry, agricultural workers, students, youth and women.

The NPMO, taking note of the anger and widespread enthusiasm among the masses manifested through last countrywide strike action stressed upon the need to carry forward the struggle against retrograde policies to further height.

The meeting noted with concern that both the amendment of the Indian Patent Act with Exclusive Marketing Rights to MNCs and the IRA Bill which seeks to open up the Insurance Sector to monopolists including 40 per cent foreign equity, will undermine the self-reliant economy of the country and hit at its sovereignty. The meeting denounced the role of the BJP government, which has done a volte face from its earlier stand, when it was in the opposition and exposed the hoax of its "Swadeshi" propaganda.

The meeting also noted that already various sections of trade unions and other mass organisations of students, youth and women have taken up programmes against all these issues.

1. All India Protest Day: The meeting decided to hold a national convention at Delhi in the first half of February and observe All India Protest Day on February 22, i.e on the opening day of the budget session of parliament. Conventions will also be held at different centres in the country.

2. Phase campaign and agitation culminating in massive March to Parliament: NPMO decided to carry forward the struggle against NEP focusing on, apart from the Patent Act Amendment and IRA bills, on price rise, unemployment, against disinvestment and privatisation, for revival of all sick PSUS, on agricultural Workers Bill, for compulsory primary education, 33 per cent women's reservation and amendment of labour laws.

The meeting also noted with concern that with active patronage of the government of India, the Sangh Parivar and the Shiv Senas are trying to create tension and disaster in the society. The government' effort to communalise the education, continued attack on minorities with impunity, atrocities on women, attacks on cultural and performing artistes and their work, the efforts to disrupt the Indo-Pak cricket match and the bus services, are all signal of frantic anti-people activities by the right reactionary fascistic forces. NPMO also must build up awareness and resistance against all these developments.

The meeting stressed upon the need for unleashing widespread united campaign and agitation at all levels against the Economic Policies and against communal and divisive forces and phased agitations which should culminate in a massive and militant march to Parliament at the end of April 1999, during the parliament sessions.

3. The meeting decided to hold a National Convention against communalism and divisive forces in March, 1999 to be preceded by a nationwide campaign.

4. The meeting condemned the Haryana government for its barbarous repression let loose on the state government employees for their participation in the 11th December strike. The state government has not only suspended a large number of employees, but also imposed a fine of Rs. 15 lakhs on the general secretary of Sarva Karmachari Sangh. The acts of the Bansi Lal government was an authoritarian drive tantamounting to undeclared emergency.

The meeting decided that a protest rally will be held at Chandigarh in early February to be attended by leaders of NPMO and delegation would meet the chief minister or the governor of the state. All constituents of the NPMO will also send protest telegrams to the Haryana chief minister demanding withdrawal of all penal measures immediately.