Agartala, May 07, 2025: The All India Federation of Trade Unions, along with several other organizations, has called for a nationwide general strike on May 20 to press for a series of demands, including the repeal of the controversial Labor Code and an increase in REGA wages. In support of this strike, the Tripura State Committee of the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha will hold a protest march and road meeting in Agartala on May 12.
Speaking on the occasion, Pabitra Kar, Secretary of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha associated with the movement, strongly criticized the central government’s policies. “The country is now in a deep crisis. The Narendra Modi government is waging an assault on workers, farmers, students, women and youth in favor of a few ultra-rich families,” Kar stated.
He further highlighted the growing inequality in the country, saying, “The richest 5% now own 70% of the nation’s wealth, while the bottom 50% are left with just 3%. Poverty has surged by 17% in the past decade.”
Kar also condemned the government’s push for implementing the new Labor Code during its third term. “It is nothing but an attempt to enslave the working class by stripping away their rights — from minimum wages and social security to their right to organize, protest and strike,” he alleged.
Citing shrinking job opportunities, the erosion of state support in agriculture, rising prices, and increasing privatization in education, Kar accused the government of ignoring the people’s struggles. “Fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides are now completely in the grip of market forces, and common citizens are unable to afford daily essentials,” he said.
Among the key demands voiced by protesters are the scrapping of the labor code, implementation of minimum support prices for crops, restoration of old pensions for government employees under the new pension scheme, halting electricity privatization, fixing the minimum wage at ₹26,000, ensuring proper REGA payments, and expanding REGA work into urban areas.
Kar emphasized the need for unity among all working people across religious, caste, and linguistic lines. “The ‘One Nation, One Election’ push is a distraction tactic. The real issue is that the government has already dismantled labor law inspections, leaving workers at the mercy of employers,” he concluded.
