Digboi: Hundreds of contract workers staged a massive bike rally in Digboi on Sunday, protesting against the new labour codes proposed by the Central government and urging public support for the nationwide general strike scheduled on February 12.
The protesters warned that the implementation of the codes would undermine job security, allowing employers to terminate workers at will and leaving employees vulnerable. They said the new system would also deprive workers of rightful wages and threaten the existence of trade unions.
“Earlier, there were 19 labour laws, which the Centre has now consolidated into four codes. That is why all the contractual labour unions at the Digboi Refinery have taken to the streets,” said a protester. “Through this rally, we want to send a clear message to the Central government: if the labour codes are not withdrawn, we will intensify our agitation.”
Nagen Chutia, General Secretary of the Petroleum and Gas Workers Federation of India, alleged that the Modi government was implementing the codes to serve the interests of corporate giants like Adani and Ambani. He cautioned that failure to repeal the codes would harm not only workers but also India’s broader social fabric.
The rally also highlighted local demands, including increasing production capacity at the Digboi Refinery, ensuring access to safe drinking water for residents, and improving educational facilities with quality schools and colleges for students in the region.
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