NEW DELHI: The labour wing of the RSS, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), will hold a nationwide protest against the ordinances diluting labour laws promulgated by BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. The BMS also decided to protest against the increase in working hours in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa and Odisha.
The protest against the anti-worker measures taken on the pretext of meeting the challenges posed by Covid-19 will take place on May 20. The BMS said the social distancing norms would be adhered to during the protest. The organisation will also hold state-level conventions on May 30-31 to press for rollback of the anti-workers measures.
“The BMS national office bearers’ web meeting strongly condemned the total withdrawal of labour laws in UP, MP and Gujarat. States like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa and Odisha increased the working hours from eight to 12. It’s learnt that many other states are also planning to follow the trend. This is unheard of and rare even in most undemocratic countries,” BMS general secretary Virjesh Upadhyay said.
While the BMS had written protest letters to several chief ministers, Upadhyay said only Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan agreed to meet its delegation.