New Delhi: Two of the biggest railway unions Monday pledged their support to the ‘Bharat Bandh’ to be observed December 8. The ‘Bharat Bandh’ has been called by farmer unions which have been protesting on Delhi’s borders against the Centre’s new agri-marketing laws.
The All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) and the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) extended their support to the agitating farmers. The two bodies have called on their members to hold rallies and demonstrations December 8 in a show of solidarity with the farmers.
AIRF general secretary Shiva Gopal Mishra met the agitating farmers at Singhu border Monday. He assured them that members of the railway union are with them in their fight against the new agriculture laws.
“We have written to our affiliates all over the Indian Railways to extend support to the farmers in their struggle to achieve their genuine demands, December 8, 2020 during ‘Bharat Bandh’. I have already advised AIRF affiliates to organise agitation programmes, dharna, demonstrations and rallies during lunch hour against anti-farmer policies of the Government of India,” said Mishra.
“I hope that the government will give cognizance to the genuine demands of the farmers and redress the same at the earliest,” Mishra added.
NFIR general secretary M Raghavaiah, in a statement, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept the demands of the farmers. He said the railway families are with the ‘annadata’ (food-giving) in their struggle against the anti-farm laws. The new laws are ‘detrimental to the farmer community of the nation’.
“The NFIR general secretary advised all its affiliate unions throughout the Indian Railways to conduct dharnas, rallies and demonstrations in solidarity with the farmers’ struggle and against anti-farmer decisions of the central government,” the statement said.
The two unions comprise of 13 lakh railway employees and around 20 lakh retired personnel.
The farmers have found support from transport unions and the joint forum of trade unions like the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
Opposition parties like the Congress, NCP, SP, INLD and the Left parties have also come out in support of the stir.