Hundreds join CITU Secretariat march in Port Blair
Port Blair, Aug 10: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) organised a Secretariat march in Port Blair on Monday afternoon as part of a nationwide protest called by central trade unions and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the union said.
The march began from Delanipur junction and proceeded through key points of the town before culminating at the entrance gate of the Secretariat. CITU reported that hundreds of workers participated.
At the concluding meeting, CITU leaders outlined a set of demands and criticised the central government’s policies. The union called for immediate implementation of a High Court Division Bench order on the regularisation of daily‑rated mazdoors employed by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
“Implement the High Court Division Bench order on regularisation of daily rated mazdoors,” CITU leaders urged, according to the organisation.
Senior CITU functionaries who addressed the gathering included B. Chandrachoodan (General Secretary), D. Ayyappan (Vice‑President) and SP Kalairajan (Secretary, State Committee). The march was led by R. Surendran Pillai (President) along with secretaries P. Sathyapal, Anand Rajan and M. Yugandar, the union said.
Key issues raised and wider actions
CITU listed a range of concerns it said were motivating the action locally and nationally. Among the matters highlighted were:
- Regularisation of daily‑rated mazdoors in the islands, in line with the High Court order;
- Opposition to privatisation of public sector undertakings;
- Protest against any proposed abolition of MGNREGA and alleged denial of minimum support price (MSP) to farmers.
In the North Andaman town of Diglipur, CITU and the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) jointly organised a mass demonstration in front of the Assistant Commissioner’s office, the union reported. The Diglipur event was led by Sunil Bepari and Barun Biswas (President and Secretary respectively of the CITU Diglipur Zonal Committee) and Dilip Karmakar (Joint Secretary, AIKS).
| Location | Action | Lead organisers |
|---|---|---|
| Port Blair | Secretariat march ending at Secretariat gate | B. Chandrachoodan; R. Surendran Pillai; D. Ayyappan |
| Diglipur | Mass demonstration at Assistant Commissioner’s office | Sunil Bepari; Barun Biswas; Dilip Karmakar |
The union framed the action as part of the nationwide Jail Bharo Andolan called for Aug 10 by central trade unions and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. CITU said the island events formed a local expression of that campaign.
Administration and civic impact
The march route passed through central town areas and concluded at the Secretariat entrance. The protest, by CITU’s account, involved a substantial number of workers and drew attention to employment and agrarian concerns affecting residents.
No information was provided by the Administration in the report about any official response to the march or the demand for implementing the High Court order. The union’s account did not state whether any permits were required or whether any disruption to Secretariat functioning occurred during the demonstration.
Labour groups and farmer organisations have in recent years used coordinated national calls to press local administrations for action on court orders, wages and procurement policies. In Port Blair, the CITU demand for regularisation of daily‑rated mazdoors, if pursued through formal petitions or litigation, could have budgetary and administrative implications for the Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
Further details on the Administration’s position or any follow‑up by the unions were not included in the report issued with the march summary.
