Date:17/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/17/stories/2008071759951200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Dasgupta wants trade unions to join strike

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, MP, has appealed to trade unions and progressive thinkers of Tamil Nadu to join the national struggle against the United Progressive Alliance government’s pro-American agenda.

Addressing a public meeting organised as a preparatory conference for the nationwide general strike, called for August 20, against the anti-people and anti-poor economic policies of the UPA, Mr. Dasgupta urged the people of Tamil Nadu to join the strike and prove the point to the Congress that neither the U.S. nor the corporate giants could dictate terms to them.

He accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Monteksingh Ahuluwalia of pursuing “lopsided economic policies” that caused high inflation.

Earlier, Mr. Dasgupta laid the foundation for a building of the AITUC at Chintadripet.