A number of Opposition members of Parliament on Wednesday held a protest demanding withdrawal of the new labour codes even as Sonia Gandhi and her son and leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul, accused the Narendra Modi government of destroying India’s environment by selling out to big corporations.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia and Rahul were among those who protested in Parliament House complex against the new labour codes. MPs of the Congress, DMK, Trinamool and Left parties were also among those who participated in the protest in front of the Makar Dwar of Parliament.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the TMC's Dola Sen, the DMK's K. Kanhimozhi and A. Raja, the CPM's John Brittas and CPI(ML) Liberation's Sudama Prasad were among those who participated in the protest.
They held a large banner which read: “No to Corporate Jungle Raj, Yes to Labour Justice.”
The Congress has alleged that the 29 existing labour-related laws have been re-packaged into the four codes by the Centre which had last month notified the four labour codes, pending since 2020.
The four labour codes are the Code of Wages (2019, Industrial Relations Code (2020), Code on Social Security (2020) and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020).
The codes increase working hours in factories from 9 to 12 hours and in shops and establishments from 9 to 10 hours.
Trade unions had earlier criticised the codes for what they called unclear provisions on retrenchment and possible discretionary behaviour during the implementation by the central or state governments.
The rules raised the ceiling for mandatory government approval for carrying out closures, layoffs or retrenchment. The new code changes the provision of establishments employing 100 or more workers needing government nod; the cap is now at least 300 workers.
Other key changes include mandatory appointment letters to workers; universal social security coverage including for gig, platform, contract and migrant workers with PF, ESIC and insurance benefits; statutory minimum wages and timely payment across all sectors; expanded rights and safety for women, including night-shift work and mandatory grievance committees; and free annual health check-ups for workers aged 40 and above.
Rahul Gandhi also highlighted on social media an op-ed Sonia wrote in The Hindu accusing the Modi government of “a particularly venal streak of cynicism in relation to environmental protection, combining its proclivity to encourage the reckless exploitation of natural resources with a callous disregard for consequences on the environment.
Rahul posted a snapshot of the op-ed, highlighting these lines that also said: “Can policymaking be so blatantly up for sale, to benefit the profit lines of a very few at the cost of the wellbeing of future generations, and of the planet?"
India, Rahul and Sonia said, needs a new deal for the environment.