Espousing the cause of Trade Union Federations of employees of 41 Ordnance Factories, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to desist from handing over the defence units to private corporates.
It has also flagged ‘irregularities’ in the Expression of Interest (EOI)-cum- Request for Proposal (RFB) floated for appointing consultant to implement corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, AITUC General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said the ordnance factories being the fourth force of the Defence of the country must always be under the control of the Government for strategic reasons. Changing its status to a public sector undertaking and then privatising was not in the interest of national security and defence preparedness. The decision of the government to corporatise the ordnance factories was against the past written assurances given by the previous Defence Ministers and also against the assurances given in Parliament, the letter said.
Finalisation of contract at a time when two complaints filed with the Central Vigilance Commission was under investigation has created doubts in the minds of the people, Mr. Amarjeet Kaur said.
Ordnance factories were the pioneers of ‘Make in India’ motto, with over 90 % indigenous products. Ordnance factories cannot survive as a PSU as they are war reserve and there will be fluctuation in the requirement of armed forces. Corporatisation will lead to handing over ₹1 lakh crore worth of assets and 62,000 acres of land to crony capitalists and private corporates. The Ministry of Defence will not be able to fix accountability, the letter said.
The AITUC fully supports the ‘historic struggle’ of the employees to save the defence industry from liquidation through the indefinite strike commencing from October 12, the letter said.