Date:09/01/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/09/stories/2003010903441100.htm

National

Trade union rallies peaceful

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI Jan. 8. The countrywide "rasta roko rail-roko" agitation called by all the central trade unions today passed off peacefully barring an unconfirmed report about police having opened fire on agitators at Tinsukhia in Assam and lathicharge at a few places as industrial workers courted arrest protesting the Government economic policies.

The All-India Trade Union Congress general secretary, Gurudas Das Gupta, claimed a "massive response." Like at many place, the participants at Chandigarh too were lathicharged. The AITUC, CITU, HMS, INTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, UTUC (LS), TUCC and others collectively called the strike. Though the BJP-affiliated-BMS was not a party to the call, it supported the `satyagraha' and one of its representatives even addressed a rally here where 10,000 agitators, like in different part of the country including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and West Bengal, courted arrests.

The satyagraha was marked by road and rail blockades besides meetings, marches and rallies where the Government's disinvestment and other economic policies directly affecting that working class and the masses were criticised.