IMPHAL, May 19: The Manipur branch of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has launched its mass campaign seeking an early settlement of the prevailing crisis in Manipur.
The mass campaign was launched during a formal function held in Imphal on Saturday.
Speaking on the occasion, general secretary of AITUC Manipur, L Sotinkumar stressed the need for early settlement of the ongoing crisis arising out of ethnic conflict in the state while asserting that the protracted crisis has given a big blow to the society with the working class affected the most.
He alleged that it was due to lack of political will that the crisis has been allowed to escalate. Due to failure on the part of the state as well as the central government, the living conditions of not only the internally displaced persons, but all sections of the society were severely affected.
“The people have crossed their limits to tolerate. There is an urgent need for initiating political dialogue to resolve the conflict. On May Day representatives of as many as 64 different bodies of workers adopted a 13-point demand to be placed before the government,” Sotinkumar.
It further resolved to launch various forms of movement while pressing the government to translate the 13-point demand.
The key points of the demand included setting up a highway protection force, hike in the minimum wages of the workers per month to Rs 26,000 and initiation of political dialogue to resolve the crisis unfolding in the state, Sotinkumar said.
Asserting that setting up of a dedicated force to be deployed along the national highways in the state, Sotinkumar said that more than 1,000 people, mostly drivers, have been killed by the armed miscreants on these highways.
On the hike of the wages, he added that employees in the private sectors including drivers, people working in shops and other business establishments and journalists are paid very little.
The AITUC Manipur also strongly opposed “privatisation of public sectors taking place in the country under the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
If the demands were not addressed at the earliest, the AITUC Manipur will take a decision to launch many more forms of agitations including mass court arrest stir, Sotinkumar said. (NNN)