Factory Act amendment induces 'strain' in secular progressive alliance

CHENNAI: The DMK-led Secular Progressive alliance, which has remained intact for an enviable three elections since 2019 Lok Sabha polls, has suffered what appears to be the first visible strain. The Bill successfully moved by the ruling DMK to amend the Factories Act, 1948 has 'angered' its otherwise tolerant Ambedkarite (VCK), socialist (Left) and nationalist (Congress) allies who have expressed solidarity with the Dravidian party regime despite a few disagreements.

Though the DMK and its allies have differences on issues like the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota (Marxists and Congress support it) and Vengaivayal 'assault' on Dalits (VCK and CPM criticised police inaction), it is only now that the DMK government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin has encountered palpable and irritable dissent from the alliance parties vis-à-vis the policy decision of government.

Senior alliance leaders have also gone to the extent of questioning the ideological conviction of the ruling DMK, courtesy the amendment bill enabling the increase in mandatory daily working hours in factories from 8 to 12 hours.

VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, whose party also walked out of the House in protest of the Bill, did not hold back his views when he wondered, "It remains a mystery as to why they (DMK) came forward to pass a legislation even the BJP is hesitating to implement. There is no need to enforce in Tamil Nadu a legislation the BJP regime did not enforce. It is antithetical to the labour welfare policies embraced by the DMK for so long."

CPM state secretariat member K Kanagaraj, a vocal critic of the bill, said, "It is politically, ethically and ideologically wrong. They didn't seem to have thought about it even from an electoral point of view. Even legally, it will not conform to the standards of International Labour Organisation."

CPIM will not compromise on any account: Kanagaraj

"Our criticism of the DMK and AIADMK government varies because DMK is our friendly party. But, we will not support all the decisions of the DMK. CPIM will not compromise on any account. Even the DMK's trade union LPF opposed the labour code. The CM spoke strongly against the labour code in May 2020. What will happen to LPF's opposition now? What change happened now that the DMK has pushed this amendment. Even electorally, you (DMK) will not gain nothing. It will only anger the labourers, the people. We are confident that the government would not send it for assent.

Asked if the DMK was digressing from its ideology, Kangaraj said, "It is not a drift from the ideology. It is a complete U-turn."