Nationwide strike on July 9: 10 trade unions protest Modi govt's 'anti-worker, anti-farmer' policies
New Delhi: Ten central trade unions have announced a nationwide general strike on Wednesday, July 9, to protest against what they call the Narendra Modi government's "anti-worker, anti-farmer and pro-corporate policies." The unions are opposing the implementation of four new labour codes and the recently introduced Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme.
The striking unions include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC. They have also condemned the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, calling it a “conspiracy to strip working people of their voting rights and citizenship,” thereby weakening their collective bargaining power.
Trade union leaders warned that in states like Bihar, Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, the strike could take the form of a complete bandh, with support from Opposition parties, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, and other allied groups.
Originally scheduled for May 20, the strike was postponed following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
At a joint press conference on Monday, AITUC General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur criticised the Centre for inviting unions for a last-minute meeting “without any agenda.” She said the government has been aware of the strike call and charter of demands since March 18 but made no effort for meaningful dialogue.
She further alleged that the Modi government is pushing labour codes through state-level rulemaking without addressing workers’ concerns. Despite this, resistance from workers has prevented private companies from implementing measures like longer working hours, she added.
CITU General Secretary Tapan Sen condemned the ELI scheme as a “system of slavery” that seeks to replace permanent workers with temporary interns and apprentices. He questioned the government's ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) narrative, pointing out the declining industrial production.
A statement from the Platform of Central Trade Unions noted that the government has not convened the Indian Labour Conference in the last decade and continues to sideline worker interests, promoting ease of business for employers at the cost of workers' rights.
Key demands include:
- Rollback of the four new labour codes
- End to privatisation and outsourcing in public services
- Restoration of trade union rights, including the right to strike
- Reinstatement of the Indian Labour Conference
- Action against rising casualisation and contractualisation of labour
- Withdrawal of the ELI scheme
The unions allege the government’s actions are designed to weaken collective bargaining, decriminalise employer violations, and criminalise union activity, marking a serious threat to India’s labour movement.
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ED arrests Sandeepa Virk, 'cosmetologist' for alleged money laundering
New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate said on Wednesday it has arrested a woman, who claims to be an actor and a cosmetologist, under the anti-money laundering law in a case of alleged fraud and misrepresentation.
The agency said the purported links of the woman, Sandeepa Virk, with a Reliance Group executive, Angarai Natarajan Sethuraman (President, Corporate Affairs), are also under its scanner. Sethuraman, in a statement, denied any connection with Virk or any transactions related to her.
Virk was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Tuesday after searches were conducted against her and her associates in Delhi and Mumbai over the last two days.
A special court sent her to the ED's custody till August 14, the agency said. The woman claims to be the owner of a skin care products selling website named hyboocare.com, which the ED claimed was a "front" for money laundering.
She and her associates are being probed for allegedly exerting undue influence through "misrepresentation" and "defrauding" individuals by soliciting money under false pretences.
According to an Instagram ID of Virk, she is an actor and entrepreneur and the founder of the said website.
The federal agency said in a statement that the woman was also "in touch with" Sethuraman, former director of erstwhile Reliance Capital Limited.
She was communicating with him regarding "illegal liaisoning", the ED claimed, adding that the searches at Sethuraman's residence "confirmed" these allegations.
"Besides, diversion of funds for personal benefit has also been unearthed during the course of the search action," it said.
The ED alleged that public money worth about Rs 18 crore belonging to Reliance Commercial Finance Limited (RCFL) was disbursed to Sethuraman in 2018 by "flouting" prudent lending norms.
The funds were lent under terms that allowed a deferment of the principal amount as well as the interest, with multiple waivers granted and no due diligence conducted, it said.
The ED claimed that besides this, a home loan of Rs 22 crore was provided by Reliance Capital Limited by "violating" the prudential norms. "A large part of these loans are seen to have been eventually siphoned off and remained unpaid," it alleged.
Sethuraman, in a statement, dismissed the allegations as "baseless". He denied any connection with Virk or any transactions related to her.
Detailing about Virk's web portal, the agency said it purportedly sold FDA-approved beauty products. However, the ED said the products listed on the website have been found to be non-existent and the portal lacks a user registration option and is plagued by persistent payment gateway issues.
A scrutiny of the website uncovered minimal social-media engagement, an inactive WhatsApp contact number and an absence of transparent organisational details, all of which reinforce the finding of "non-genuine" commercial activity, the ED claimed.
"These factors, including limited product range, inflated pricing, false claims of FDA approval and technical inconsistencies, indicate that the website serves as a front for laundering funds," it said.
Another social media-hosted bio data of the woman said she is a certified cosmetologist.
The ED said several "incriminating" documents were seized during the searches and the statement of a man named Farrukh Ali, stated to be an associate of Virk, was recorded.
The money-laundering case stems from an FIR lodged by the Punjab Police.
Sethuraman said that the home loan he received from Reliance Capital was granted following due process and was secured by the property offered as collateral.
