New Delhi: The government, on Tuesday, came in for sharp criticism at an annual labour conference here with workers` representatives accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of devoting little time to their cause despite rise in farmer’s suicide and growing contractualisation of workforce. C K Sajinarayanan, who represented the workers at the meet, also accused the Finance and Commerce Ministries of "intruding" into the affairs of the Labour Ministry in the matters of fixing interest rate for EPF subscribers and pressing for anti-labour proposals. "It will make Indian labour situation highly explosive and tense unless all those concerned with labour intervene constructively in addressing the tragic plight of unorganised sector and growing contractualisation in the organised sector," Narayanan said in his speech.
Holding that the growth trajectory "is no more enticing when we look at the dark phase of India", he said the "beauty of the words like inclusive growth does not tally with practical ground level realities." It is high time, he said with the PM in attendance, to take stock of globalisation as the country was witnessing an unbalanced and jobless growth. "Organised sector is shrinking and has decreased from eight per cent in 1991 to seven per cent and now in 2011 it is six per cent which means 2 per cent has shifted from descent to indecent work," he said.
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh president said it is a "paradox" that while prices of farm produces are shooting up, farmers are committing suicide for failing to get price for their produce. Narayanan sought more time from the Prime Minister to look into the issue of workers and alleged that "PM is spending lot of time with big corporates and employers whereas for workers he is spending only half-an-hour and that too only in this conference".
PTI