PM Dahal calls for fighting back attempts to exploit workers

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said an intense opposition is necessary to end the tendency of exploiting workers.

In his address to the eighth National General Convention of All Nepal Federation of Trade Unions (ANTUF), he said neo-liberalism introduced a new form of exploitation and suppression on workers' community and the mass.

According to him, the incumbent government has taken some significant decisions in favour of labourers and the people. "Nepali foreign migrant workers have been incorporated in the Social Security Fund on the initiation of incumbent government," he said.

 There is no more compulsion to line up for hours to obtain the passport and the issues in acquiring the driving license have been gradually addressed. School students get textbooks on time in this academic session, the first case after over three decades, according to the Prime Minister who says some forces are engaged in misinterpreting the government's steps for improvement.

He stressed the need for workers to retaliate against attacks from various quarters on the system that has been established from sacrifices of Nepali people. "There is a need to fight the tendency of upsetting norms and values that have been established on the back of people's war. There is a need for retaliation for one time against regression and anti-revolution."

He said he had taken his premiership as both opportunities and challenges. The government's common minimum programme has accorded high priority to social justice and the rights of workers, and activities had been taken forward accordingly, he said.

Stating that the government has accorded 'special' priority to good governance and prosperity, he said a high level commission would be established soon to investigate all corruption cases since 2048 BS.

According to the Prime Minister, he countered such tendency by declaring the People's War Day on Phagun 1 as a public holiday.

The PM said that although the country has not economically fully come out of crisis, the government has taken strict measures to prevent smuggling and its positive results have been seen. He viewed that even though the government has not been able to work with full energy, significant progress has been made in some sectors, the revenue is moving towards improvement, the foreign currency reserve has expanded and the remittance inflow has increased.

Stating that the government is focused on resolving the microfinance problem, PM Dahal said, "One type of people has started propaganda against the government after works were carried out in favour of the people one after the other. Efforts have been made to disrespect the revolutionaries. We should counteract against this."

Reiterating that the decision of providing Rs 200,000 to each of the former Maoist combatant not included in the reintegration process was not his, the Prime Minister argued that the government had only tried to implement the previous decision on the basis of the Supreme Court's order.

On a different note, he said his main attention is on making the government's policies and programmes as well as the budget for the coming fiscal year are pro-worker. He has been making special efforts to that end.

CPN (Maoist Centre) leaders Lilamani Pokharel, Jayapuri Gharti, among others called on the government to do its level best for protecting the interest of workers.

PM Dahal also felicitated labour leader and Chief Minister of Bagmati province Shalikram Jamkattel on the occasion.