Members of the Federation of Latex Employees Union took out a protest march in Belagavi on Tuesday against the Union government’s plans to privatise profit-making Hindustan Latex Limited, the makers of Nirodh condoms. The central PSU’s factory is situated in Kanagala village near Belagavi city.
The employees shouted slogans against the Union government for hurriedly trying to close down the unit. They said HLL has not only been making profits for the last 20 years, it has also been repaying dividend costs to the government. Its social benefits outweigh its financial outcomes. The condoms and other population control drugs and devices have helped reduce the spread of AIDS. If the company is privatised, corporate companies will create false scarcity of condoms in the market and hike prices. They will also impede population control and other healthcare measures by the Union and State governments, the protesters said.
They asked the government to stop the divestment process and retain the factory in government sector.
S.S. Kerimani, M. Siddaiah, A.M. Mulla, L.B. Kakatikar, G.I. Shahapurkar and others led the protest.