The Left parties supported the defence workers’ decision to launch an indefinite strike against the proposed corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board. CPI general secretary D Raja, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urged him to drop the corporatisation plan in the interest of the country.

Citing the Expression of Interest cum Request for Proposal for selection of a consultant to recommend modalities for implementation of the whole process, he said all the trade unions representing 82,000 defence workers had opposed such a move and voted in favour of an indefinite strike against corporatisation. “After the strike ballot is over the three recognised Federations of the employees have submitted an appeal to you and the Defence Minister that to avoid a confrontation and industrial dispute in the vital defence industry, the government may withdraw its decision to corporatise the Ordnance Factories. The appeal of the Federations is still pending with the government,” Raja said in the letter.

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He said the move is against the call for Atmanirbar Bharat. “Ultimately ‘Make in India’ is at stake with spate of huge imports. All these are happening at the cost of our own Ordnance Factories and defence PSUs,” Raja said. He said the workers have agreed to increase the turnover of OFB to ₹30,000 crore in the next five years in the present structure itself provided the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces place five years load/indent,” Raja added.

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