Unorganised workers' body meets ahead of Shimla civic polls, accuses centre of exploitation

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 23 : A state-level meeting of the All India Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress (Kamgar and Karmachari Congress-KKC) was held in Shimla, ahead of the Shimla Municipal Corporation elections.
The meeting was held on Friday. The Chairman of All India Confederation Of SC/ST Organizations of AICC and State Party Chief Pratibha Virbhadra Singh participated in the state-level meeting. This meeting is considered an important meeting for the party ahead of the Municipal Corporation elections in Shimla.
The former MP and President of the Unorganized Workers and Employees Congress party, Udit Raj, accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Center of exploiting workers and claimed that the Congress governments are labour-friendly.
Speaking to the reporters at the state-level meeting of the organization held in Shimla, Raj said, "Labour-friendly laws and schemes have been implemented in the country since the time of the Congress government."
Raj specifically mentioned Mahatma Gandhi's National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), which was initiated by the Congress government to provide employment opportunities to rural labourers.
He claimed that MGNREGA has proven effective during the Corona pandemic. He also alleged that the Modi government has reduced its budget from 110 crores to 60 crores, thus cheating labourers. He said that it has become a medium of corruption in India.
"The Modi government has reduced its budget from Rs 110 crores to 60 crores, thus cheating labourers. MANREGA has become a medium of corruption in India. All the laws made for the labourers were formulated during the Congress government's tenure and are not being implemented," he said.
Raj also accused the BJP government of handing over everything to industrialist Adani and exploiting labourers. He emphasized the need to organize unorganized workers and protect their interests.
He said, "The BJP government has handed over everything to industrialist Adani and exploiting labourers. As per government records, there are 39 Crore unorganized sector workers in India and 30 crores have registered themselves in the government portal out of the 96 Crore voters 45 Crore are unorganized workers".
Raj further alleged that a conspiracy has been hatched to put Rahul Gandhi in jail for speaking against Adani, calling it a wrong decision.
The Congress State Chief and MP, Pratibha Virbhadra Singh, welcomed Raj to the meeting and said that they would discuss the schemes that can benefit labourers and work in their interest.
The meeting concluded with a call to organize labourers and protect their rights. This has been organized here amid the Shimla Municipal Corporation Elections. She said that all parties will form the civic body and the majority of Congress candidates will win the elections.