Kolkata : Accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of ignoring the demands of trade unions, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Gurudas Dasgupta Tuesday questioned whether he represents only private corporate houses of the country.
Dasgupta said that trade unions were forced to call for a countrywide strike Feb 28, 2012, as the prime minister had not bothered to call them for talks in the last two years.
“He called a meeting of all private airlines to discuss why the Kingfisher Airline was running through a rough patch. But when all the trade unions are fighting for basic needs, he couldn’t call a single meeting of trade unions,” Dasgupta said.
“Is the prime minister representing Kingfisher and private corporates and not the common people of India? Trade unions represent 40 crore workers of the country. Is it a sign of democracy or autocracy,” Dasgupta said while addressing a media conference here.
“People should know why we have been forced to call this countrywide strike. We are agitating for the last two years,” Dasgupta said.
All the major trade unions of the country have called a 24-hour countrywide general strike Feb 28 next year.
The strike has been called to draw attention to the plight of workers.
IANS
