Odisha Congress lends support to nationwide strike call by central trade unions
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Sunday announced that the Congress party will support the nationwide strike called by various central trade unions on February 12 against the alleged anti-people legislations and policy measures promoted by the Union Government.
In a press statement issued by the Odisha Congress, OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das said the party has been holding nationwide strikes, demonstrations, and hunger strikes in response to the central government introducing the anti-labourer Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB–G RAM G), while repealing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(MGNREGA), which has been in place since the UPA rule.
Das further added that the party has decided to support the strike as 10 central trade unions — including the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), the LPF, and the UTUC — along with over 50 independent organisations from banks, insurance, and state and central employees’ groups, have called the nationwide strike to protest against the replacement of MGNREGA and to demand the repeal of the anti-labour four labour codes enacted by the Union Government.
It is noteworthy that, as per OPCC directions, all District Congress Committees across the state have been organising statewide agitations for the past two months, demanding the provision of 300 units of free electricity to household consumers and a full electricity charges waiver for farmers.
Das alleged that the farmers in the state are facing severe hardships due to mismanagement in the procurement of paddy, urea, and other essential commodities, which has pushed them into extreme difficulties.
In his statement, Das said the party appreciated the central trade unions for prioritising issues such as MGNREGA, electricity, and farmers’ problems in their nationwide strike call.
Notably, a delegation of INTUC on Saturday met OPCC President Das at the Congress state headquarters in Bhubaneswar and sought the party’s support for the February 12 strike.