FORMER General Secretary of Western Zone Insurance Employees Association (WZIEA) Hitendra Bhatt stated that the Central Government’s plan to sell shares of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) in steps puts millions of policyholders at risk and faces strong protests from workers. He was speaking at the 65th two-day annual general conference of the Nagpur Divisional LIC Employees’ Union at the Sahakar Jeevan Hall, under the presidentship of Shiva Nimje and in the presence of senior insurance leader Ramesh Patne, renowned economist Dr Shrinivas Khandewale, former Vice-Chancellor of Punjabrao Krushi Vidyapith, Dr Sharad Nimbalkar, Life Insurance Pensioners’ Union leaders T K Chakraborty, Dhanraj Dongre, P V Milindkumar, Hina Jibhkate, and Y R Rao.

 

In his inaugural address, Bhatt strongly opposed the Government’s decision to privatise LIC through disinvestment. He called upon insurance employees to raise their voice in an organised manner and build a comprehensive and broad-based struggle against this move of the Government which weakens LIC of India. Speaking on the topic of ‘Global Imperialism and Direction of India’s Development’, the chief guest Dr Shrinivas Khandewale criticised the current Government policies in the name of development. Dr Sharad Nimbalkar, underlined that due to the pro-corporate and anti-farmer policies of the Government, the condition of farmers in agrarian India has become extremely miserable. Other labour leaders present on the dais also guided the gathering. The conference began with hoisting of the Union flag by President Shiva Nimje and paying floral tributes at the Martyrs’ Column.