On 14th May, Indore units of CPI and CPI (M) observed the death anniversaries of two of our Comrades of Indore. Comrade Homi Daji, former National General Secretary of AITUC, ex MP, and veteran of CPI, and Com. Jagannath Bharti of CITU and CPI (M). The meeting was chaired by another veteran Comrade Perin Daji and senior advocate Anand Mohan Mathur.
AITUC State President Com. Mohan Nimje spoke about the situation of trade union movement in organised sector and State Secretariat Member of CPI (M) Com. Kailash Limbodia spoke about the condition of trade union movement in unorganised sections of working class. Com. Arvind Porwal, Vice President of AIBOA threw light upon the economic situations, struggles of banking sector empoyees and officers and the silver lining in it. He narrated how the banking unions saved the banking sustem and the economy of the country from the damages caused by depression waves emanating from US in 2008.
Eminent economist from Joshi-Adhikari Institute of Social Studies (JAISS), Dr. Jaya Mehta discussed the challenges of the globalisation and liberalisation processes unleashed over the working class in recent times and the new forms, working class is organising itself within. She talked about the unrest and aggressive response of workers of Honda, Maruti and other such multi national companies run industries and businesses. She said utmost belief in the strength of the workers but at the same time she also appealed to traditional left trade unions to adopt new programmes and working pattern to include these new workers’ struggles.
All the speakers brought out this fact also in their speeches that if workers’ struggles are not strengthened, the country may have to see the unfortunate days of communal fascism. This casteism, communalism are essentially brought on board to break the growing solidarity of workers against emerging regime of GATT and WTO in early 1990s. Today, the trade union has a bigger responsibility of saving the country and the potential to defeat the communal forces.
On this occasion, Com. Perin Daji, 88, congratulated the workers of the Hukumchand Mill of Indore who fought for more than 26 years and still fighting to get their rightful dues. It was shut down in 1991 and workers were fighting since then for compensation. Very recently, the Court strictly ordered the Masdhya Pradesh State to distribute forst instalment of the compensation which is total Rs. 50 Crores. It brought smile on the hopeless faces of workers. Many among them have died too.
Senior Advocate Anand Mohan Mathur told how the workers could get this amount through negotiating the case at senior level in judiciary. He said that entire working class movement is under attack by the communal forces and called for joint action by the trade unions to stop the advances of these communal forces. AIBOA Chairman Com. Alok Khare, Veteran comrades Anant Shrotriy, Vasant Shintre, Sohan lal Shinde, and many other working class comrades from various sectors of life attended this meeting. Com. Vineet Tiwari (National Secretary of PWA) conducted the meeting and Com. Rudrapal Yadav (District Secretary of CPI) thanked the speakers and the audience. The meeting was organised jointly by District Councils of CPI and CPI (M).
