Members of Southern Railway Mazdoor Union on Thursday staged a demonstration protesting against the Centre’s to privatise railway services.
Led by its divisional secretary, J.M. Rafi, the agitators demanded that the Centre withdraw its plan to privatise select train services, track maintenance, on board services and corporatisation of railway depots and factories.
Addressing the protesters, Mr. Rafi said that successive Union Governments have been threatening with their plans of massive privatisation of railways that serves the people.
“It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had said that Indian Railways belonged to the people of the country and it would not privatised and would remain as a Government entity. However, under its 100-day plan of the newly-formed Government, the Centre has laid out various forms of privatisation,” he said.
Stating that the railway men had the force to deter the privatisation plans, he said the present move will only help the corporates make money.
The Modern Coach Factory in Raebareli was producing coaches that were being bought by the Railways at a cost of ₹2.5 crore a coach. However, if the same plant was bought by any private entity, the cost of the coach will go up to ₹5 crore. “What will be the fate of the 2,000 employees of the factory?” he asked.
Divisional president Ravichandran, assistant divisional secretaries V. Ramkumar, Seetharaman and Sabarivasan took part.