Letter by Aprajita, Purogami Mahila Sangathan (PMS)
If this were truly a democracy, we would be involved in nation building. But we are not the real decision makers in our country. The laws and policies in our country are made to benefit the corporates, not the people. The corporates are the real decision makers!
Due to the government’s constant and intensifying attacks on them including the efforts to privatise public sector assets, workers in India have united for a general strike on 28–29 March 2022. This is the 23rd general strike since the liberalisation-privatisation-globalisation policy was brought into effect in 1991.
Workers and consumers have been fighting against privatisation for decades. As workers and consumers, we are the primary stakeholders in electricity, railways, banks, insurance, coal, petroleum and other public sectors, which are built with our money and hard work. Yet, were workers and consumers consulted before the national monetisation policy was announced? Were we consulted before Air India and NINL were sold? Were we consulted before the sale of electricity departments, banks, coal mines, steel factories and railway infrastructure was announced? No!
Although we were not consulted, lakhs of workers and consumers have come out on the streets to oppose the policy of privatisation. Electricity workers in Uttar Pradesh, , J&K, Pondicherry and Chandigarh have protested and organised strikes. Railway, steel, bank, insurance, coal, petroleum and telecom workers, as well as workers of strategic PSUs like CEL and BEML, have conducted huge demonstrations and protests. Workers and consumers have jointly opposed the privatisation of various sectors. However, has the government paid any heed to our protests and demands? No!
The struggle against privatisation is decades old. In these years, various parties have come to power, but all governments have followed the corporate agenda of privatisation. If any of these governments were truly of the people, for the people and by the people, the people of the nation would be involved in decision making. Instead, workers, consumers and people’s organisations have to constantly fight against the government’s attacks on our rights.
If this were truly a democracy, we would be involved in nation building. But we are not the real decision makers in our country. The laws and policies in our country are made to benefit the corporates, not the people. The corporates are the real decision makers! The government is blatantly implementing anti-worker, anti-people policies for the benefit of capitalists despite our constant opposition. How can we call this system a democracy?
– Aprajita, PMS