New Delhi, Aug 08: Asserting that the Supreme Court ruling taking away the right of government employees to strike would convert them into "slaves", CPI(M) today asked the government to immediately clarify its stand on the matter as the right was already part of other laws and India was a party to international conventions which granted that right. "Government and NDA parties are conspicuously silent .... Not a single NDA MP or party has spoken on the issue, neither has the government responded. Where is the labour minister? they are prepared to accept the denial and decimation of the working class rights," party leader Somnath Chatterjee told reporters here. He said the right to strike was the "culmination of collective bargaining process" and the last resort for workers. "This right is no one's charity, neither is it a bounty of the judiciary. It has been earned through hard struggle. No self-respecting people or nation can accept its denial". Stating that the apex court order would close the door for any collective action, the veteran Marxist said the court's suggestion that all labour disputes should be settled through tribunals was also not practical because of the large pendency of cases in courts as well as tribunals. "People die even before their pension cases are settled". Bureau Report