Port Blair, April 5: About a lakh of workers, peasants and agricultural workers from different parts of the country crowded the Ramlila Grounds in Delhi today to participate in the Mazdoor-Kisan Sangharsh Rally called by Centre of Indian Trade Unions, All India Kisan Sabha and All India Agriculture Workers Union. The Rally was organized to voice their demand for an end to the ongoing assault on their means of livelihood and for policies that allow access to education, healthcare and a dignified life for them and their children. The united action of the workers and peasants expressed determined protest against the hatred and anger against the BJP government in destroying the wealth of the nation and to distract attention from the grave economic crisis engulfing the lives of the working people. 

In support of the Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Rally in Delhi, CITU has organized territory-wide programmes in Andaman & Nicobar Islands today (5.4.2023) evening.  At Port Blair, a massive procession of workers was taken out from the PBMC Office gate which after making a round of the important points of Port Blair town culminated at the same venue. Addressing the workers at the PBMC Office gate, B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary of CITU State Committee warned the BJP-led central government that the working class will continue to fight against the corporate-friendly anti-working class policies followed by it.  Senior leader D. Laxman Rao also addressed the gathering. The mass procession was led by R. Surendran Pillai, President, BC Bhattacharjee, Vice President, Shyamal Kolly, Treasurer, SP Kalairajan, P. Sathyapal, Anand Rajan and MV Yugandar Secretaries of CITU State Committee and Srini Babu, Kalidas and T. Annapurni, CITU State Committee Members and K. Laxman, General Secretary, Nagarpalika Shramik Sangh.  

At Diglipur, a massive rally was taken out at Diglipur Bazar in which a large number of workers and farmers participated. Barun Biswas, Secretary, CITU Zonal Committee, Dilip Karmakar, Joint Secretary, CITU Zonal Committee and Probin Sarkar, Secretary, BKU, Diglipur led the mass rally and addressed the workers.  

Besides the 14-point All India Demands, various local demands like (i) Regularisation of services of DRMs (ii) Early implementation of High Court order on 1/30th of pay plus DA to all DRMs (iii) Bonus to all DRMs (iv) EPF and Leave benefits to DRMs, (v) against frequent power cut and drinking water scarcity, etc.  were also highlighted during the massive rally.