Farmers and Tribal Organizations Extend Support to Trade Union Strike

Udaipur,The nationwide strike scheduled for 9 July against the Central Government’s anti-labour policies has garnered support from farmers and tribal organizations in Udaipur, as revealed by P.S. Khinchi, Convenor of the Trade Union Council.

A joint meeting of farmer and tribal bodies was held on Sunday at Shirali Bhavan under the chairmanship of Vishnu Patel, Convenor of Mewar Kisan Sangharsh Samiti. Patel recalled that during the farmers’ protest against the controversial three farm laws, trade unions had shown solidarity with farmers, ultimately forcing the government to repeal the laws. Now, with the government attempting to replace 44 labour laws with just three codes, farmers too would stand united with workers to oppose this move. He criticized the government’s policies as destructive for both farmers and labourers, who are key contributors to the nation’s development.

Ghanshyam Tawad, District President of the All India Adivasi Mahasabha, voiced concern over the dire conditions of tribal farmers, accusing BJP leaders of diverting attention from core issues by fueling religious divides. He stressed the need for collective action on demands like 200 workdays and ₹600 daily wages under MGNREGA, forest rights implementation, MSP guarantee, and better education and healthcare in tribal areas.

The strike was also supported by Prabhulal Bhagoora, District President of the All India Kisan Sabha, Prem Pargi, President of Adivasi Janadhikar Ekta Manch, and Devilal Damor, District President of the Rajasthan Kisan Sabha. They affirmed participation in the 9 July rally.

To prepare for the strike, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) held a planning meeting chaired by District Secretary Hiralal Salvi. CITU District President Rajesh Singhvi outlined the demands behind the strike, which include:

Withdrawal of the new labour codes

Stopping wage cuts and layoffs

Declaring ₹26,000 as the minimum monthly wage

Providing ₹10,000 as monthly social pension

Abolishing contractual labour systems

Regularizing ASHA, Anganwadi, and support workers

Reinstating the old pension scheme

Guaranteeing PF, ESI, and workplace safety for all workers

Ensuring security and regularization of sanitation workers and mine workers

Halting the sale of public enterprises and privatization of public services

Removing all taxes on fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, and agricultural tools

Ensuring repayment of investor deposits and punishing the guilty in co-operative scams like Sahara, Adarsh, Sanjeevani

Stopping eviction of Udaipur periphery residents and issuing land titles

Preventing displacement of street vendors under anti-encroachment drives and implementing the Street Vendors Act

Curbing corruption in the Construction Workers Welfare Board

Enacting safety laws for domestic workers

Controlling prices of medicines and essentials and removing them from GST

Present at the meeting were Co-convenor Mohan Sinyal, Himmat Chagwal (AITUC), Khushwant Kumawat (INTUC), Saurabh Naruka (ACT), and Leela Sharma (ACT(U)).

P.S. Khinchi announced that a rally of workers and farmers will begin at 11 AM on 9 July from Town Hall, proceeding to the Collectorate where a protest meeting will be held, followed by the submission of a memorandum addressed to the President of India.