CITU hopeful of pressing Centre to withdraw divestment decision

Visakhapatnam: BUOYED by Centre's decision to withdraw the controversial farm laws, veteran trade union leader and general secretary of CITU Tapan Sen on Sunday said they are confident of exerting pressure on the NDA Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reverse decisions on disinvestment, change in labour laws and implementation of National Monetisation Pipeline by undertaking a joint struggle by rival trade unions. Sen, who was here to take part in the meeting of All India Central Public Sector Coordination Committee (AICPSCC) held at Ukkunagaram, told Bizz Buzz that they don't expect good sense prevail upon the government withdraw its 'anti-people and anti-national' policies on its own.

The Centre may not meet the disinvestment target of Rs1.75 lakh crore during FY 20021-22 due to pandemic and slowdown in implementation due to possible fallout in elections slated for Uttar Pradesh and few other States. "Like the farm laws due to united yearlong protest by farmers under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), we need united struggle by all the unions to put pressure to withdraw the controversial changes in labour laws, disinvestment of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and National Monetisation Pipeline.

The meeting held at Ukkunagaram discussed how to make a general strike called by the Joint Committee of 10 Central Trade Unions a grand success. BMS, which is part of Sangh Parivar, is not party to the strike call.

Describing the decision for 100 per cent disinvestment of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) as a 'fraud' to hand it over to the corporates close to the Modi Government, he said. Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) is going ahead with the disinvestment process despite yearlong strike by the RINL employees.

CEL disinvestment

Describing the decision to complete the sale of Central Electronics Limited (CEL), set up in 1974 as a CPSE under the Department of Science and Industrial Research, Ministry of Information Technology for commercial use of breakthroughs made by R&D institutes of national importance, to Nandal Finance & Leasing for Rs 210 crore as big scam, he said the company is worth over Rs 2,000 crore. Sen said CEL is considered a pioneer in solar photovoltaic. The Centre had made a futile attempt for strategic sale of CEL in 2016. In the latest attempt, the reserve price was fixed at Rs194 crore.

CITU national president K Hemalatha, All India Waterfront Workers' Unions(Ports) Narendra Rao, CITU State president Ch Narsinga Rao and RINL recognised union president J Ayodharam attended.