This strike has been historic in that all the Central Trade Unions gave a joint call for the first time for a two-day general strike. This makes it the biggest working class action since independence. The Central government has to immediately address the demands raised by the general strike and take steps to fulfill them, otherwise bigger actions will follow. This is a wakeup call to stop the anti-people and anti-working class policies.
February 21, 2013
Press Statement
The Left Parties – Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party – have issued the following statement:
The Left parties warmly congratulate the working class, employees and other sections of the working people who have made the two-day general strike on February 20 and 21 a magnificent success. The workers struck work in all industries and commercial sectors. The strike was effective in petroleum sector, coal, mining, port & dock, plantation, manufacturing, banking and insurance. State government offices were also affected by the strike. The participation of workers in the unorganized sectors and scheme workers was also notable.
The Left parties condemned the instances of police repression against striking workers and the killing of a T.U leader in Ambala by crushing him under a state bus. In West Bengal, despite the state government machinery being used to foil the strike, there was a powerful strike in various sectors. Kerala observed a total bandh in solidarity with the striking workers.
This strike has been historic in that all the Central Trade Unions gave a joint call for the first time for a two-day general strike. This makes it the biggest working class action since independence. The Central government has to immediately address the demands raised by the general strike and take steps to fulfill them, otherwise bigger actions will follow. This is a wakeup call to stop the anti-people and anti-working class policies.
Sd/-
(Prakash Karat)
(S. Sudhakar Reddy)
General Secretary, CPI(M)
General Secretary, CPI
(Debabrata Biswas)
(T. J. Chandrachoodan)
General Secretary, AIFB
General Secretary, RSP