CITU calls upon workers to make February 12 general strike a big success

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has given a call to the working class to make the February 12, 2026 general strike against what it has termed the draconian Labour Codes and the multi-pronged attack by the central government on the people’s rights and entitlements, a big success.

The five-day 18th CITU All India Conference came to an end on Sunday (January 4, 2026), with thousands of workers and leaders of the CITU taking part in an impressive rally taken out from the Ambedkar Statue at the Life Insurance Corporation office to Indira Priyadarshini Municipal Stadium in the I Town area in Visakhapatnam, which culminated in a public meeting.

On the final day of the conference, the CITU elected its new office-bearers, with Sudeep Dutta as its national president and A. Karim as general secretary. Five persons from Telugu-speaking States, including Ch. Narasinga Rao and G. Babi Rani (Andhra Pradesh), and A.V. Nageswara Rao, M. Saibabu. and Chukka Ramulu (Telangana) also found a place in the national body.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Dutta said the working class struggle will advance from this day. Workers in every sector, right from agriculture to factories, are the people who are running the society, the nation and producing the wealth of the country, he said. “We are always on the street and working, inside or outside the house, but we are not visible. When we hold the red flag, people will come to know,” Mr. Dutta said.

Labour and honour: On the four Labour Codes, the path ahead

“The ruling class has brought the four Labour Codes to exploit workers and take away what we achieved with 100 years of struggle,” he said. “They have taken away the right to 100 days work in rural areas. They want to suppress the working class. We will fight with all our might. We won’t allow them to take an inch of our rights,” he added.

The Central trade unions and peasant organsiations had decided to observe the largest general strike of recent times (on February 12), he said.

“We will stall the entire country. We will come on to the streets in thousands. Workers from different sectors of all States and languages will join us. We will block roads and railways. We will stop production. We will make the government understand the power of working class,” Mr. Dutta said.

Addressing workers, Mr. Narasinga Rao said CITU’s five-year struggle had stopped the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP). “Our agitation made private companies who came forward to take over the VSP go back. Not just the steel plant, we have also successfully stopped the privatisation of the shipyard (Hindustan Shipyard Limited),” Mr. Rao said.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), when it was in the Opposition, had assured support to their agitation, and had also promised to enhance the wages of the VSP workers, he added. After coming to power, the government did not fulfil its promise, Mr. Rao said.