80 Detained During CITU 'Jail Bharo' Protest At Jalna Zilla Parishad Office
Around 80 unorganised sector workers and trade union activists were detained on Monday after staging a 'jail bharo' protest at the Jalna Zilla Parishad office in Jalna city. The demonstration was organized to demand permanent employee status, Provident Fund (PF), and pension benefits for unorganised workers.
Police officers from the Kadim Jalna police station detained as many as 80 protesters during the agitation. An official from the police station confirmed that all the detained individuals were later released.
The protest was led by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and saw active participation from farmers, agricultural labourers, and workers' organisation members, including many women. According to CITU leader Anna Sawant, the agitation was held in response to a nationwide call by the joint action committee of Central Trade Unions and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha to oppose what they described as anti-worker and anti-farmer policies of the central and state governments.
Protesters gathered at the Zilla Parishad office premises, raising slogans against rising inflation, unemployment, the contractualisation of jobs, and the reduction of social security benefits. The agitation brought together various scheme workers, including anganwadi workers and helpers, ASHA workers, group facilitators, school mid-day meal workers, gram rozgar sevaks, and employees working under the National Health Mission and other government schemes.
The primary demands raised during the protest included permanent employee status along with ESI, PF, and pension benefits for all scheme and contract workers. Demonstrators also pressed for the restoration of the MGNREGA system, seeking a minimum of 200 days of employment per family each year at a daily wage of ₹700. In addition, they sought the distribution of agricultural land to landless families and the regularisation of gairan land currently in their possession.
Highlighting systemic concerns, Sawant demanded the immediate repeal of the four labour codes, stating that they would adversely affect workers' legal rights, job security, wages, and social security. During the demonstration, the protesters formally submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister, handing it to Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Dr Krishna Kant Kanwaria.
