Thread by @deepakurup

India's working class is on strike

10 central Trade Unions & Agriworkers Unions are protesting labour deregulation and anti-farmer(pro-corporate) laws that together strike at the welfare of millions of working households(1/n)

#MazdoorKisanStrike is estimated 250million in size

Listen to this @newsclickin interview with A.R. Sindhu, national secretary of CITU, where she explains why the response to #MazdoorKisanStrike has been strong, the new labour codes and the worker-peasant alliance that the general strike represents (2/n)

newsclick.in/all-india-stri…

Over 60 lakh rural frontline workers are on strike
These women worked through the pandemic without masks/PPE and in many states WITHOUT PAY. Scheme workers ensured food and nutrition security in rural India, yet they continue to work for paltry 'honorariums' #MazdoorKisanStrike

follow this for a sense of just how wide #MazdoorKisanStrike is:unions of teachers, factory workers, bank employees, scheme workers, doctors, textile workers, agri labour, welders, drivers (4/n)

Don't be fooled by (per usual) corporate media blackout!

newsclick.in/live-blog-work…

Across states, the #MazdoorKisanStrike strike has been largely met with repression.

(5/n)

https://twitter.com/cpimspeak/status/1331876093121314818?s=20

The ban on #MazdoorKisanStrike in UP fails to shock. For, it famously 'responded' to Covid-19 by declaring a 'pandemic special' labour holiday allowing 12 hr workdays! (+revoking 35/38 labour laws governing TUs disputes/limits on contractualisation) (6/n)

hindustantimes.com/india-news/utt…

(7/n) a great explainer by @myopiclenses on why this strike is important. The opposition in Kerala — mostly BJP because BMS (their affiliate Union) isn't on strike — is imploring people to vote out parties promoting "strike culture" #MazdoorKisanStrike

srpraveen.medium.com/why-indias-wor…

Ans: Ambani.

Ambani's Reliance Industries owns a controlling stake in CNN-News 18. The three farm Bills present a windfall for Reliance that has been investing heavily in agro and food processing franchises.

(8/n)

#MazdoorKisanStrike

KA-CHING

https://twitter.com/cnnnews18/status/1331921209131298817?s=21

❤️posters! Tis commonly-held that Indian IT workers are privileged whitecollar, young & averse to unions. But in recent years,#KITU has grown steadily,intervening in disputes,taking up workers' issues &building class consciousness thru political education
9/n
Follow @TheVangua_rd

.@KisanSabha protests in BJP-ruled Haryana have been massive. This despite mass illegal detention of leaders of several farmers Unions two days prior to #MazdoorKisanStrike

The govt submits to the Haryana High Court that they were preempting "criminal activity". (10/n)

(11/n) Across the country, Left students unions turned up in solidarity with the #MazdoorKisanStrike worker-peasant struggle.

@SFI_CEC @AISA_tweets AISF

Study and Struggle, comrades.

https://twitter.com/MayukhDuke/status/1330126617394483208?s=20

(12/n) Authorities appear to have dug trenches on NHighways to prevent marching peasants/farmers and agri workers from reaching Delhi #MazdoorKisanStrike has 300 such outfits protesting pro-corporate farmlaws

Eleventy-elevenazillion news outlets and this being broken on Reddit

(13/n)watch farmers use their tractors to dislodge cementbarricades that stop them from marching to Delhi
#MazdoorKisanStrike
note:this isn't sporadic protest;2day rally ws announced weeks in advance.TUs served strike notice. So,govt had time to prepare to allow peaceful protest

(14/n) and more visuals that likely won’t make the news?

I reiterate this govt had advance notice (weeks) of farmers & TradeUnion strike action.

It chose to digup/block roads -and arrest leaders- rather than allow farmers to protest legislation that threatens their livelihoods

(15/n)

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee - a panIndia umbrella organisation of >300 farmers right groups - says it has finally been "allowed" to enter Delhi. Farmers have had to fight for even their right to peacefully protest. Their ongoing March to Delhi👇🏾

https://twitter.com/lonelyredcurl/status/1332353679681146883?s=20