RSS-backed BMS organise nationwide protest against changes to labour laws by states

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), labour arm of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Wednesday organised a nationwide protest against the "unilateral changes" in labour laws in 14 states and demanded that the Centre issue "stringent directions" on the payment of wages while urging to put a halt to the changes brought by state governments.

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), labour arm of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Wednesday orgsed a nationwide protest against the "unilateral changes" in labour laws in 14 states and demanded that the Centre issue "stringent directions" on the payment of wages while urging to put a halt to the changes brought by state governments.

"Thousands of BMS activists started demonstration on the roads, rooftops, in front of houses, before Govt. offices and later submitted a memorandum to President of India requesting to negate the Anti-Labour Acts of the State Governments," read a statement of BMS.

BMS National President C.K. Saji Narayanan participated at Thrissur, Kerala and General Secretary. Virjesh Upadhyay participated in Delhi suburb and. B. Surendran All India orgzing Secretary participated at Delhi Jantar Mantar demonstration.

"The protest is against not making available proper facilities for migrant labourers; non-payment of wages for lockdown period; irregularities in providing Covid-19 benefits; not making travel arrangement for migrant labours to return home states, massive job losses increasing working hours from 8-12 hours; unilateral changes in labour laws in 14 states and against unbridled privatisation," the statement highlighted.

The protest demonstration was held in interior parts of the country too. Those who protested included urum mines workers in Jaduguda (Jharkhand), copper mine workers of Malajkhand (MP), workers in entire coal belt, marine fish workers of Kerala, migrant labourers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Odisha, and electricity employees of Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

The District units and Industrial Federations have sent memorandums to President Ram Nath Kovind on labour law changes and local administrations on other issues.

( With inputs from ANI )