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P S Bisht, general secretary of the Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh, an All-India Federation of Defence Workers, claiming support of 5.60 lakh (560,000) defence employees, said the JAC representatives would meet Singh to discuss the strike.
Up in arms against the government decision to open up defence production to private sector, the three federations of defence employees have threatened to observe an unprecedented countrywide strike as they fear that the Centre's move would jeopardise the entire security of the country.
In view of the proposed strike, Defence Secretary Yogendera Narain recently held intensive discussions with his senior officers and heads of the defence Public Sector Undertakings before his meeting with leaders of all defence PSU unions but failed to convince the angry Federation leaders.
The JAC believes allowing private industries and MNCs to produce arms, ammunition, weapons and other defence equipment will jeopardise the entire security of the country.
They feel the decision to shift defence production from Restricted Category to the Licensed Category was taken in a 'hasty and pre-determined' manner without considering the situation prevailing in the country.
With the three federations sticking to their demands, the government's efforts to make them call off their strike are yet to succeed.
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