The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Janata Dal (S), Left parties support strike

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Sunday, Aug 17, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Janata Dal (S), Left parties support strike

Special Correspondent

It has been called by various trade unions on Wednesday

‘Centre’s policies have hit common man hard’
Road blockade planned at 200 places in State

BANGALORE: The Left parties, Janata Dal (Secular) and Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Mavalli Shankar group) on Saturday announced support to the all-India strike on August 20 called by various trade unions.

The strike is against price rise, for universal rationing, reduction of tax on petroleum products and strict implementation of labour laws.

Addressing presspersons here, Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary V.J.K. Nair, Communist Party of India State secretary Siddanagouda Patil, All-India Forward Bloc State president G.R. Shivashankar and the Janata Dal (S) spokesman Ramesh Babu said they would back the strike in view of the serious problems the common man had been facing in view of the price rise and pro-rich policies of the Union Government.

‘Against Government’

The strike in Karnataka would also be against the BJP Government, which was using police power to curb the democratic demands of farmers, they said.

Senior CPI (M) leader G.N. Nagaraj said that the protesters would block roads at 200 places in Karnataka on August 20 and also stage protests on roads connecting Bangalore.

The recent report by the National Sample Survey Organisation pointed out that 84 per cent of the people in Karnataka were suffering from anaemia and malnutrition as they did not have access to quality food.

Inflation

The rising inflation had made life miserable for such people.

The Government should scrap the targeted public distribution system and bring into force universal rationing, he said.

Pro-MNC

Mr. Patil said the United Progressive Alliance Government was pro-MNC, and it had started working against the interests of the common man soon after the Left parties withdrew support to it. Mr. Shivashankar urged the Centre to immediately enact the Organised Workers (Condition of Employment) Bill and ensure job security to those employed in the unorganised sector.

No invitation

Various trade unions had given a call for an all-India strike as the Centre had neither invited them for discussions nor fulfilled the demands they had made on May 13, 2008.

The Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions, along with other organisations and political parties, would hold a rally in Bangalore on August 20, Mr. Nair added.

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