Demonstrators March From Aam Bagan Maidan To Sakchi’s Birsa Chowk
Key Points:
- Joint trade union forum holds jail bharo andolan against central labour policies
- Protesters demand withdrawal of four labour codes, MSP guarantee for farmers
- Sakchi’s Birsa Chowk remains blocked for over two hours during march
JAMSHEDPUR – A joint forum of central trade unions carried out a pre-announced “jail bharo andolan” on Monday, protesting against what organisers called anti-people policies of the central government. The programme, held with enthusiasm and unity, was led by district coordinator Comrade Vishwajeet Dev.
Members affiliated with AITUC marched under the leadership of Comrade Heera Arkane. Workers from CITU, SUCI, the BSSR Union, the All India Khet Mazdoor Kisan Union and the All India Students Federation also took part, carrying flags and banners while raising slogans against central policies.
The procession moved from Aam Bagan Maidan to Sakchi‘s Birsa Chowk, drawing a large turnout of rural farm labourers and women from Patamda and Boram. The march held the Sakchi intersection for more than two hours, creating a chaotic scene in the area as traffic came to a halt.
Police kept a close watch on the left-affiliated demonstrators from a distance throughout the protest, though no confrontation was reported. The intersection returned to normal only after the marchers dispersed.
Organisers said Monday’s demonstration centred on a list of demands, chief among them the immediate withdrawal of the four labour codes and the scrapping of fixed-term employment rules. Protesters also called for a guaranteed Minimum Support Price for farmers and opposed the government’s V.B. Gram Yojana.
Other demands raised during the march included an end to privatisation policies and a halt to the practice of outsourcing permanent jobs through contract labour. Unions also sought universal access to food, housing, employment, education and healthcare, alongside an increase in minimum wages.
Demonstrators further pressed for equal pay for equal work, employment opportunities for educated job seekers, a rollback of private bank privatisation, and the implementation of social security measures for workers. Organisers said Monday’s protest was part of a nationwide call given jointly by central trade unions across the country.
The Jamshedpur programme drew support from a broad coalition of left-leaning organisations. CITU representatives Sanjay Kumar and Piyush Kumar Gupta, AITUC’s Nigamanand Paul, Satyendra Singh and Zafar Khan, and AISF members Vikram Kumar Ko, Raju Samad and Ranjan Kumar Yadav were credited with helping organise the event.
Employees’ federations representing banks, LIC, the railways and BSNL also extended support to Monday’s demonstration, according to organisers.
