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You know something is seriously wrong when the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's trade union, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, is furious at changes in labour laws enacted by Bharatiya Janata Party governments in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
PTI reported on Thursday: 'The RSS-affiliated trade union BMS on Thursday condemned the "total withdrawal" of labour laws by the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, and announced a countrywide agitation against it.
'The BMS also said migrant workers' problems have aggravated during the novel coronavirus-triggered lockdown mainly because there is "gross violation" of laws by most of the states.
'Criticising the freezing of labour laws as well as increase in the working hours from eight to 12 hours in some other states, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh general secretary Virjesh Upadhyay said in a statement, "It is learnt that many other states are readying to follow the trend. This is unheard in history and is rare even in most undemocratic countries."
'"...we are pushed to the wall and there is no other way out except going for agitation. Hence BMS decided nationwide agitation in solidarity with the fight against the anti-worker ordinances in UP, MP, Gujarat as well as increase of working hours in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa and Odisha," the trade union said,' PTI reported.
You can read BMS national President C K Saji Narayanan's interview on the changes in labour laws here.
Uttam Ghosh offers his take on the changes underway in labour laws in states like UP and Gujarat, which will, as Mr Narayanan warned in his interview 'will lead to a law of the jungle.'
