BPCL privatisation against Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Central Trade Unions to Pradhan

• The CTUs have written a letter to the minister, in which they have said that the privatisation of BPCL will promote monopolisation in the petroleum sector

• The decision to privatise BPCL along with its huge productive asset base, that too at a throw away price, can no way be in national interest, said the CTUs

New Delhi: The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions (CTUs) and Federations have asked Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to review the decision for privatisation of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), arguing that the policy is against national interest and against the policy of self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta). A total of 10 CTUs — INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC — have written a letter to the minister, in which they have said that the privatisation of BPCL will promote monopolisation in the petroleum sector.

"The decision to privatise BPCL along with its huge productive asset base, that too at a throw away price, can no way be in national interest; such a anti-national decision also militates against the declared Government policy of "self reliance", besides promoting greater monopolisation in the petroleum sector," the letter said.

CTUs lend support to strike call by BPCL workers' unions

While welcoming the initiative of the unions of BPCL employees to oppose the privatisation move through a two-day strike in September, the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Federations reiterated its firm opposition to privatisation of BPCL and urged the government to reconsider and refrain from privatising BPCL in the interests of the nation.

Also read: Around 1,800 at BPCL opted for VRS and 300 withdrew, say sources

BPCL paid Rs 25 cr for Statue of Unity, Rs 125 cr to PM CARES fund: CTUs

The CTUs have pointed out that apart from paying dividends and taxes, BPCL also paid Rs 25 crore towards the construction of the infamous Statue of Unity in Gujarat and Rs 125 crore to the PM CARES fund to aid the government in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. "Despite various odds (such as making PSUs to contribute towards the Statue of Unity (BPCL: Rs.25 Cr.), to PM CARES Fund (BPCL: Rs.125 Cr.), sometimes created by faulty policies of the Govt, the BPCL continued to remain a consistently well performing company under public sector, contributing handsomely to national exchequer through dividend, special dividend and taxes, besides generating huge resources by its operational efficiency to consistently invest in continuously expanding its all round capacity in the interests of the nation," the letter said.

"Post nationalisation, the capacity of BPCL under government ownership has been augmented through huge investment out of the national exchequer to serve the people of the country with unhindered supply of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene in a big way," the letter said.

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