CITU calls for nationwide protest against SIR

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has called upon the working class and the people of India to join the Nationwide protest on October 23 called by the national platform “People Against SlR” in large numbers. Elamaram Kareem, General Secretary, CITU, issued a press release.

CITU is an active part of the national platform “People Against SlR” along with a broad spectrum of organisations and networks representing farmers, workers, agricultural workers, women, youth, students, Adivasis, minorities, Dalits and disabled as well as progressive individuals, artists, intellectuals and civil rights activists came together to constitute the platform.

CITU leaders, activists and members will join the protest at the states/districts/local levels on October 23, demanding the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SlR) of electoral rolls and the resignation/sacking of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The CITU observed a nationwide campaign week against SIR from October 16 to 22 with gate meetings, group meetings, street corner meetings, etc.

“The SIR has disenfranchised 13 crore voters and deprived them of their voting rights. Most of them are unorganised and migrant working people who are being made to run from pillar to post, foregoing their daily earnings, to enrol themselves as voters, a right to which they are constitutionally entitled. Further, with the implementation and operationalisation of the Labour Codes, particularly the Code on Social Security, which mandates an identity card prescribed by the Central Government for enrolment under the social security boards and to become beneficiaries, the disenfranchised workers may also be deprived of their entitlement to social security benefits and other government welfare schemes. Hence, the SIR-led disenfranchisement will lead to the denial of workers’ rights. The scrapping of SIR is therefore essential to ensure workers’ rights to social security,” CITU said in the release.