An unprecedented wave of workers’ and farmers’ struggles spread across the whole country through the year that is coming to an end. It challenged the Modi government and its pro-rich, anti-working people, anti-farmer policies, forcing the govt. to reverse course in some cases. These battles spanned issues related to falling living standards, growing inequality and loot by the ruling classes, as also the communal politics of the sangh parivar that is trying to divide people on religious identity lines. These struggles were increasingly diverse, yet more united, weaving together different industrial sectors and also forging unity between peasants and workers.

Continuing from the past few years’ movement for better prices for agricultural produce, freedom from debt and end to forcible land acquisition, farmers in several regions were on the roads, sometimes facing police bullets (Mandsaur, MP; Maharashtra) and at other places forcing the authorities to bow to their demands (Rajasthan). The broad platforms of struggle evolved in previous years gained immense strength in 2017 in terms of scale of activities and mobilizing strength.

In dozens of public sector units – ports, steel plants, coal mines, ordnance factories, banks, insurance companies, etc. – workers went on strikes or protested against relentless govt. pressure to privatise national assets by handing them over to private industrialists. Contract workers and ‘scheme workers’ (those employed in govt. schemes) saw large scale protests, often confronting police attacks in various states. Unorganised sector workers like those in the road transport sector fought against proposed laws to squeeze out small units and privatise public services. And in industrial areas from the north-east to Gujarat and from Himachal Pradesh to Tamil Nadu, workers braved attacks from police and hired goons to fight for their livelihoods.

Diverse strands of struggles were brought together in two major protests held in the capital Delhi in November. One was the historic 3-day ‘maha-padav’ (mass sit in) in which about 2 lakh workers participated, pressing the govt. to accept their long pending demands which include, minimum wage of Rs.18,000, end to contractor-raj and privatization, control of prices and strengthening of PDS, withdrawal of neo-liberal labour law reforms, etc. The other, also in November, saw a 2-day ‘Kisan Mukti Sansad’ (farmers’ liberation parliament) in which over 1 lakh farmers congregated at Delhi, including families of farmers that had committed suicide due to debt and losses.

So, 2017 became not only a year of deep ferment among India’s working people, it also saw increasing intertwining of two biggest classes of Indian society – workers and peasants. This was repeatedly seen in several struggles. Trade unions held protests across the country on 16 June after five farmers were killed in a brutal police attack on protesting farmers in Mandsaur. Workers participated in large numbers in protests organized in 150 districts on 9 August by the Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan, a joint platform of peasant and other organizations. Workers also joined the massive kisan mukti yatras that covered over 10,000 kms mobilizing farmers.

Farmers’ Struggles
2017 could well be the year of the struggling farming. High indebtedness, often leading to suicides, inability to meet even cost of production due to unremunerative prices, land acquisitions, low agricultural wages all contributed to ever deepening agrarian crisis that burst out in angry protests in MP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, UP, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, W.Bengal and other states. In most places, it was met with strong arm methods by govts. but such was the pressure that almost all state govts. were forced to announce debt waivers. The most significant victory was in Rajasthan where the govt. was forced to concede various demands after a massive movement led by AIKS. Due to the farmers pressure, the government was also forced to roll back the notification banning sale of cattle for slaughter in animal market. Farmers led by AIKS had burnt copies of the notification in most districts of the country. The matter was also taken to the Supreme Court. Farmers organizations have waged a battle against cow vigilantism – the harassment and even killing of farmers transporting cattle by Hindu fanatic groups. Over 30 such deaths by lynching have been reported till date. AIKS collected funds to support the families of some of the victims.

In Maharashtra, an unprecedented statewide bandh was called for by different peasant organizations with the Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha (affiliated to AIKS) playing a leading role.

Lakhs of peasants and agricultural workers came out on streets of Kolkata for Nabanna Rally organized by AIKS, AIAWU and other organizations on 22nd May, 2017. It was met by brutal repression by the TMC govt.’s police leading to the death of one comrade.

There have been a series of struggles of adivasis for implementation of the Forest Rights Act and against evictions. In Jharkhand sustained and militant struggles of adivasis on a joint platform including the Adivasi Adhikar Manch and Kisan Sabha against the amendments to the Chotanagpur and Santhal Parganas Tenancy Acts by the BJP State Government. There were police firings in which one adivasi participant was killed and several injured. Ultimately the joint movement forced the Government to withdraw the amendments

All these struggles were woven together through a Kisan Mukti Yatra that travelled 10,000 kms across the country mobilizing farmers for increased struggles, ultimately converging at the Delhi ‘Kisan Mukti Sansad’ in Delhi on 21-22 November 2017. Over 2 lakh farmers participated in the historic event. Families of over 40 farmers who committed suicide due to unpayable debt burden and losses in farming were also present, narrating their harrowing experiences. The Sansad adopted two ‘bills’ for complete debt waiver and for ensuring remunerative prices for farmers’ produce.

Workers’ Struggles
A major strand of workers’ struggles was against Modi govt.’s privatization drive. In its three and a half year reign, Modi’s so called nationalist govt. has sold off Rs.1.25 lakh crore worth of public sector assets to private buyers, putting at risk thousands of jobs. Protests against these moves spread through workers in public sector undertakings throughout the country. In most of these struggles CITU played a leading role, often uniting other trade unions in a joint platform.

Defense production employees held a 45 day relay hunger strike in July. In Tamil Nadu, Kamrajar Port employees protested against sale of the profit making port to Adani Group, reportedly a crony of Modi. Bharat Earth Movers Ltd employees went on strike in May in Kolar and Mysore districts of Karnataka and Palakkad district (Kerala) against disinvestment. In March, Cochin shipyard workers went on strike against 25% privatization. In April, workers went on strike in three steel plants (Durgapur, Salem and Bhadrawati) which were up for sale. Dredging Corp. workers also struck work in April. In Haryana, state road transport workers went on a lightning strike against plan to handover routes to private operators. There were huge protests in coal mines against closure of 10 ECL mines in West Bengal. NALCO workers in Odisha protested against privatization. On 28 February, bank employees across the country held a one day strike against govt. plans of privatization. Again, on 22 August the bank employees struck work demanding an end to merger move of public sector banks, demanding stringent action against willful defaulters etc.

One of the significant features of workers’ struggles in 2017 was the high participation of women. This was mainly because women dominated scheme workers fought a bitter and arduous battle against govt. fund cuts and refusal to treat them as regular employees. There are about 1 crore scheme workers in the country, employed on irregular or contract basis, though they work year round delivering services like primary healthcare, meals in schools, child care and nutrition, etc. During 2017 scheme workers held protest actions in Maharashtra, Assam, Kerala, AP, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Assam, among others. They also successfully held a one day country-wide strike on 20 January 2016 which was preceded by demonstrations in practically all districts. Later in the year, on 21 August, ASHA workers (health workers) held a massive protest at the Parliament, submitting nearly 50 lakh signatures from villagers from all over the country in support of their demands.

Even government employees, both central and state, were on the warpath against govt. delays in implementing pay commission recommendations and changes in pension plans. Over 13 lakh central govt. employees went on strike on 16 March while on 2 March state govt employees’ held a mass dharna at Delhi demanding withdrawal of a new pension scheme, against out-sourcing of work and other demands. Municipal workers in AP, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu held protests and strikes against similar outsourcing of jobs to private contractors. In Karnataka, even gram panchayat workers protested against similar issues.

Road transport workers in various parts of the country struggled against the proposed new law for privatization, including in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, W.Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Karnataka, etc. Construction workers, mostly in the unorganized sector protested against low wages, job losses and repression in various states including Haryana, W.Bengal etc. A countrywide strike by medical sales representatives was held in February demanding cost based capping of medicine, nil tax and regulation of working conditions in MNCs. Workers from 300 tea gardens in W.Bengal went on a 2-day strike demanding better wages. They had to face police brutality. In Tamil Nadu, fishermen held protests against a govt. law prohibiting them from going beyond three nautical miles out in the sea. Beedi workers in several states protested against low wages. Even LIC agents held a protest rally in Delhi in August against govt. policy regarding the insurance sector.

In many states, like Karnataka, W.Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Assam etc. huge protests were held by joint platforms of trade unions and other organizations against price rise, farmers’ debts, job losses and other people’s issues.

As the year ends, the foundation laid by these struggles – and many others not mentioned – will become a launching pad for widening struggles in the coming months. Ultimately, the aim is to reverse the anti-people policies followed by this and previous govts. and install a pro-people dispensation with an alternative set of policies. (Courtesy: Savera)

As per the reply given in the Parliament by Communications Minister Manoj Sinha on 27th December 2017, BSNL has increased both its connections and market share in the last three years.As on 31st March 2015, the connections were 9.32 crores which increased to 10.16 crore in 2016 and 11.50 crore in 2017. The latest figure as on 30-09-2017 is 11.89 crore. An increase of 2.57 crores in three years.

The Market share also increased from 9.36% (31-03-2015) to 9.59% (2016) and 9.63% (2016) and as per latest on 30-09-2017 it is 9.85%.An increase of about .5%

Well done BSNL. Despite the cut throat competition and entry of Reliance Jio with deep pockets, BSNL has stood firm and increased its connection and market share.

Hearty Congratulations to the BSNL Management and the workers who stood together and made it possible!

Now the government has to ensure that the employees get their due wage revision w.e.f. 01-01-2017. There should be no delay.

“Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha said that the Indian government had approved Rs 4,066 crore for providing last mile connectivity, through Wi-Fi or any other suitable broadband technology, to people in all gram panchayats under the BharatNet project. The Indian government has a plan to provide connectivity to 2,50,000 gram panchayats under the BharatNet project in the country by March 2019, he informed Parliament.

Bharat Net

“The strategy to provide last mile connectivity has been approved by the Telecom Commission on September 8, 2017. The tender to select the implementing agency for provision of last mile connectivity has been prepared by Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL),” Sinha said, adding that the government provided optical fibre connectivity to 1,08,237 GPs by laying 2,52,547 km Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), and 96,039 gram panchayats are ready for broadband services as on December 24.

“In the Phase-I of the project, 1 lakh GPs are envisaged to be connected on 100 Mbps (megabit per second) speed. However in Phase-II, to cover the remaining GPs, dark fibre for leasing to Service Providers, provision of 1 Gbps (gigabit per second) bandwidth in case of wired media (OFC) and minimum 100 Mbps bandwidth scalable up to 1 Gbps in case of wireless media (radio) at a GP have been decided,” Sinha said.

The Minister also said that the government is planning to equip towers with solar power kits so that they keep functioning even when there is no power supply to improve internet connectivity through mobile phones especially in the rural areas.

In order to improve mobile internet connectivity in the rural areas, the government is increasing the number of BSNL towers. Sinha said that in 2011, there were 53,000 villages where there was no internet connectivity through mobile phones, and the number has come down to 30,000.

“The Centre has asked the states to identify such villages so that connectivity can be provided, he said.

The Minister said that BSNL had posted an operating profit and more towers will be set up to improve the service and connectivity of the public sector enterprise. There are around 4.61 lakh mobile towers in the country out of which BSNL has 66,771 mobile towers.

BSNL had previously submitted a proposal about providing 4G services which the government is considering.” (Courtesy: Telecom Talk)

The one lakh eighty thousand executives and non-executives working in the BSNL as also the one lakh casual-contract labourers have gone on two-days strike on 12th and 13th December 2017 as per the call of the All Unions & Associations in BSNL and also BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation,demanding wage revision with 15% fitment from 01-01-2017.I The strike has been completely successful with almost all the employees on strike and the 30,000 or more BSNL offices almost closed. The demands are fully justified and do not need any further explanation.

In such a situation, why the DOT, BSNL and the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) keeping silence? Of course, the pressure from the BJP government will be there to ignore the struggle of the workers as seen in the case of CG employees, GDS etc. But workers will not keep silence. More and more struggle will erupt.

We demand that the government should ask DOT and BSNL to start discussion with the Unions and associations and settle the issue.