AGARTALA, March 14 (TIWN): The Center of Union Trade Union (CITU) state wing under the leadership of MP Shankar Prasad Dutta staged “Satyagraha Movement” voicing against the Union budget 2015-16 and terming it as an anti-labor budget. The movement today alleged that the NDA government had recently introduced Labour Code on Wages which, if implemented, would replace as many as four labour Acts - payment of wages Act, Payment of Minimum Wages Act, Equal Remuneration Act and Bonus Act -besides withdrawing the minimum protection provided in these Acts and prove detrimental to interest of working class, which is a matter of grave concern.More than thousands of CITU workers today protested against the Union budget 2015-16 calling it an anti-labour policy. The movement today under the leadership of MP Shankar Prasad Dutta has dubbed the NDA Government’s Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as ‘anti-common man’ and ‘pro-capitalist. It alleged that Achche din brought for riches and corporate sector at country and abroad by suppressing poor and middle classes. The union today demanded for the rollback of “anti-labour” initiatives taken by the government.

Durring the movement today Dutta said that the Union Government had started “attacking the labour class” by making changes in the labour laws. “Several anti-labour amendments were being incorporated in the Factory Act,” he said and added that the provision of minimum wages for the trainee had been removed from the Apprentice Act, cap on working hours removed and terms and conditions of the service would be dictated by factory owners. The government had also decided to amend contractual laws at the instance of industrialists and foreign companies.

It would adversely affect the working class in the country, he added. Dutta said that the trade unions would oppose any move of the Modi government to dilute the labour laws.

He said their main demands include minimum wages of Rs 15,000, implementation of the labour laws, pension for workers and no disinvestment in the public sector.

He said the Centre had also announced to disinvest profit-making public sector units, including banking, insurance, coal, railways, shipyards, airports etc. “The new policies would only benefit industrialists and not the labour class,” he said.

However, later more than thousands of CITU workers today get arrested by the police. They have stagted the movement infront of Agartala Akashbani office.