CPI members stand in protest
06-May-2020
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NEW DELHI, May 6
As part of its call to hold a nationwide protest against the Central Government's negligence towards migrant workers, the members of Communist Party of India (CPI) observed a 'Stand-in Protest' in Delhi in front of the central party headquarters, Ajoy Bhavan today.
In the press statement issued by CPI, it informed that the nation-wide protest was launched on May 4 and most State centres by State party units in Patna, Hyderabad and Vijayawada have already held such protests this week and will continue till the Government meets their demand to aid migrant workers.
CPI gen secy D Raja who led the protest in front of Ajoy Bhavan said that the protest is peaceful and strictly in accordance with the norms of wearing masks, keeping physical distance, etc as prescribed by the Govt.
"We have been warning the Central Government on the miseries of the poor and Central Government's refusal to solve them with a human touch, but all those fell on deaf ears." D Raja said.
He further said that the peaceful protests would continue and hoped that the Government would take care not to precipitate further crisis.
Reminding that the migrant workers are an essential part of the economy, the party demanded that the Govt should provide them with free ration, free medicines, free masks and also free travel if they want to go back to their native places.
Also pointing out that many migrants are being forced to walk back long distances to reach their natives, with reports of their deaths due to hunger, fatigue, etc, D Raja added that there is a law called 'the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 which was enacted to regulate working conditions of Inter-State labourers. The Government should respect the Act and implement it without any dilution, while providing all necessary help, he said.
Party members who joined the gen secy held placards and raised slogans in support of migrant workers and other poor sections of people.