By TC News Desk
Agartala, 8th May 2025: The All India Federation of Trade Unions (AIFTU), along with various labor and farmers’ organizations, has declared a general strike across India on May 20, demanding the repeal of the controversial Labor Code and an increase in REGA wages.
In support of the strike, the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) State Committee has announced a protest march and road meeting in Agartala, Tripura, scheduled for May 12. Speaking on the upcoming demonstrations, senior trade union leader Pavitra Kar voiced strong concerns over the economic state of the country.
“India is facing a deep crisis. The Narendra Modi-led central government has launched an attack on all sections of society—workers, farmers, women, students, and youth—for the benefit of the wealthiest few families in the country,” Kar asserted.
Kar further criticized the government’s economic policies, stating that public assets are being transferred to private corporations while wealth inequality continues to rise. “The richest 5% of the country owns 70% of India’s wealth, while the bottom 50% holds a mere 3%. In the last decade, poverty has increased by 17%. According to a 2018 international study, 90% of Indian families are classified as poor under global poverty standards,” he explained.
The implementation of the Labor Code, according to Kar, would significantly erode workers’ rights. “If this code is enforced, workers will lose their basic rights, including minimum wage, social security, regulated working hours, and their freedom to organize, strike and protest,” he warned.
Kar also alleged that the government plans to suppress any opposition with strict measures. “This is essentially a blueprint for corporate control over workers. “The job market is shrinking, and despite repeated promises, fair prices for farmers’ crops remain unaddressed. Basic agricultural necessities like fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides are now dictated by market forces, while the cost of daily essentials has skyrocketed beyond the reach of ordinary citizens,” he said.
With mounting opposition to the government’s policies, activists across India are rallying behind several key demands. These include scrapping the labor code, implementing minimum support prices for all crops per the farmers’ commission recommendations, restoring old pension benefits for affected families, halting electricity privatization, setting a minimum wage of ₹26,000, increasing social allowances, ensuring timely payment of REGA wages, and expanding REGA work to urban areas.
“The unity of workers—beyond religion, caste, wealth, language, and culture—is critical to securing their rights in the coming struggle,” Kar emphasized. He further criticized the push for a “One Nation, One Election” system, calling it a distraction tactic, and claimed that the government’s move to abolish complaint-based labor inspections has “given employers unchecked freedom to violate labor laws.”
