Bharat Bandh: Rahul Gandhi backs workers & farmers; takes ‘grip’ jibe at PM Modi | India News – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday backed nationwide protests by workers and farmers demanding safety of their rights. He flagged issues over labour reforms, commerce insurance policies, and potential adjustments to the agricultural jobs programme MGNREGA.“Workers concern that the 4 labour codes will weaken their rights. Farmers are apprehensive that the commerce settlement will hurt their livelihoods. And weakening or scrapping MGNREGA might snatch away the final lifeline of villages. When selections affecting their future have been taken, their voices have been ignored,” he stated by a publish on X.“Will Modiji hear now? Or is the “grip” on him too sturdy? I stand firmly with the workers and farmers on their points and their wrestle,” Rahul added.An all-India normal strike known as by ten Central Commerce Unions (CTUs) and backed by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Thursday is aimed at opposing a variety of authorities insurance policies, together with the 4 labour codes, privatisation and contractualisation measures, the Electrical energy Modification Invoice 2025, adjustments to MGNREGA and the proposed Seed Invoice.Giant-scale participation from farmers, agricultural workers and industrial unions is anticipated at protest websites throughout the nation, with energy sector staff, PRTC workers and different employee organisations additionally set to hitch.In an announcement, the SKM stated the strike seeks the withdrawal of the 4 labour codes, the Electrical energy Invoice 2025, the Seed Invoice 2025 and the VB-G RAM G Act 2025, amongst different calls for. It additionally known as for the restoration of the outdated pension scheme and the implementation of minimal wages for all workers, together with scheme workers.Communist Celebration of India (CPI) chief and All India Commerce Union Congress (AITUC) working president Binoy Viswam expressed full assist for the nationwide farmers’ strike, describing it as a motion to defend individuals’s fundamental rights.Apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh have additionally intensified preparations to hitch the nationwide farmers’ strike on February 12 and introduced a march to Delhi, warning that current import responsibility reductions underneath India-US and different free commerce agreements might harm the state’s apple-primarily based financial system.They expressed concern that cheaper imports might affect native growers, regardless of repeated assurances from union commerce and trade minister Piyush Goyal that the pursuits of Indian apple farmers can be safeguarded.Whereas a number of commerce unions and farmer organisations have determined to hitch the strike, the Nationwide Entrance of Indian Commerce Unions (NFITU) stated it could not take part, describing the protest as “politically motivated.”