CITU flays Delhi Lt Governor's decision of invoking ESMA to restrict strike

CITU has slammed Lt Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal for invoking ESMA and preventing electricity employees and engineers in NCT Delhi from joining the nationwide workers' general strike on January 8 and 9. Baijal issued the notification using Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), 1974. ESMA was established to ensure the delivery of certain services, which if obstructed would affect the normal life of the people.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) in a statement alleged that the ESMA notice was issued selectively against joining the strike call of the organisation even though it was the joint call of 10 central trade unions and most of the independent national federations of workers and employees.

CITU condemned intimidation by some state governments, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, threatening termination of service, service break, eight-day wage cuts, etc., "attacking the constitutional, statutory and democratic rights of the workers and employees." The trade union body called upon all sections of workers and employees, irrespective of affiliations, to join the nation-wide workers' general strike.

(With inputs from agencies.)