Union Labour Minister rubbishes Rahul Gandhi's charges, claims government committed to wage security

A day after Rahul Gandhi alleged that there was deliberate attempt to weaken labour laws, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Sunday said the government is committed to ensuring wage and social security for the workers across the country.

"Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's allegations are false and we strongly condemn them. The government is fully committed to ensuring employment security and social security to every worker whether in organised or un-organsied sector," Labour Minister Dattatreya told reporters here. Addressing the 31st Plenary Session of Congress' trade union INTUC yesterday, Gandhi had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making deliberate attempts to weaken labour- related laws which were creating dissatisfaction among the workers.

Responding to the Congress leader's allegations, Dattatreya said during the last one-and-a-half years, the government has taken concrete steps and new initiatives to strengthen the position of workers. "After coming to power, the Narendra Modi government has not only announced a minimum pension of Rs 1000 per month for workers but has also implemented it in perpetuity," he said. The minister said that the government is also looking at simplifying labour laws and replace 44 such central statutes with four labour codes.