Thousands of protesters from different parts of the country gathered in the capital. They chanted anti-government slogans.
Addressing a rally before Parliament, trade union leaders demanded an immediate curb on rising prices of essential commodities especially of food items, and wanted the government to stop the “loot of national resource”, which, they believe, has caused inflation.
“The disinvestment of Public Sector Units is part of this resource loot. While American banks collapsed, Indian banks did well, but the government is talking of banking reforms,” cried labour leaders.
They warned the government that the rising unemployment will lead to chaos in the country. The Bhartiya Janata Party affiliated Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh did not join the protest. However, it has supported the demands.
Later, senior trade union leaders Sanjiva Reddy and Gurudas Dasgupta led a delegation of leaders of Centre of Indian Trade Unions , All India Trade Union Congress , Indian National Trade Union Congress, Hind Majdoor Sabha, Trade Union Coordination Centre and other trade unions and employees’ federations to submit a memorandum to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.