“Massive Protests” against privatization in Indian Railways on 23rd October, 2019

“Massive Protests” against privatization in Indian Railways on 23rd October, 2019

No.AIRF/24(C)                                                                    

Dated: October 13, 2019

The General Secretaries,

All Affiliated Unions,

Dear Comrades,

Sub: “Massive Protests” against privatization in Indian Railways on 23rd October, 2019

As all of you are aware that, Ministry of Railways(Government of India), on the directives of the Niti Aayog, vide their letter No.ERB-I/2019/23/39 dated 10th October, 2019, has constituted an Empowered Group of Secretaries, under the Chairmanship of Shri Amitabh Kant, CAO, Niti Ayog, for development of 50 Railway Stations to World Class Standards and permit private passenger train operators to operate 150 trains with World Class Technology over the Indian Railway Network.

In this committee, apart from other Secretaries of the Government of India, Chairman Railway Board and Finance Commissioner(Railways) have also been included.

The said committee has been formed to make the path of privatization more easier on the Indian Railways.

I know that, all of you are protesting against these policies to the tooth to nail, even then; the government is moving ahead for implementation of policy of privatization on the Indian Railways.

All of you are also aware that, last we met with Hon’ble Minister for Railways on 9th October, 2019 and protested against these policies. The MR had given instructions to the CRB, present in the meeting, that, everything should be discussed transparently with the Staff Federations, but the next day said committee had been constituted, which shows that, the Government of India(Ministry of Railways) is not interested in keeping industrial peace, which has been prevalent over the Indian Railways for the last more than four decades.

Keeping in view the adamancy of the government, it has become essential that, we should be ready for sustained struggle for safeguarding the Railways, and in view of that, AIRF wants that, there should be “Massive Protests” on 23rd October, 2019 on the Branches of our affiliates over the Indian Railways, wearing black badges and burning the above-mentioned Notification of the Ministry of Railways.

Please take the matter seriously and send reports of the protest programmes to the Federation(AIRF) Office immediately.

Comradely yours,

(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
General Secretary