By Agartala Correspondent | Tripura 24.in
AGARTALA | May 12, 2026
AGARTALA: In solidarity with the ongoing labor movements in Noida and other industrial belts across India, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Tripura State Committee organized a massive protest rally in Agartala today. The demonstration was part of a Nationwide Demand Day observed by trade unions to condemn the recent operationalization of the four controversial Central Labor Codes.
The rally, which saw participation from various trade unions and industrial workers, traversed the main streets of the capital before culminating in a protest meeting.
Solidarity with the “Noida Resistance”
The Agartala protest specifically highlighted the recent crackdowns on workers in the Delhi-NCR (Noida-Gurugram) region. CITU leaders alleged that workers in these industrial hubs are being subjected to state repression for demanding fair wages and resisting the new labor laws.
Key Allegations by CITU Leaders:
- “Virtual Slavery”: Leaders labeled the four Labor Codes a “blueprint for slavery,” arguing they snatch away fundamental rights like the 8-hour workday and the right to unionize.
- Corporate Bias: Protesters alleged that the Union Government notified the final rules immediately after recent assembly elections to favor corporate masters over the working class.
- Misuse of BNS: Concerns were raised regarding Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which critics claim is being used to categorize collective labor grievances as “organized crime.”
Demands for Revocation
During the protest meeting, senior CITU functionaries addressed the gathering, demanding that the state and central governments immediately halt the implementation of these codes.
Primary Demands:
- Abolish the 4 Labor Codes: Immediate withdrawal of the codes and restoration of the 29 original labor laws.
- Minimum Wage: Implementation of a national minimum monthly wage of ₹30,000 to combat rising inflation.
- Social Security: Guaranteed universal social security and job permanence for contract workers.
- End to Repression: Immediate release of arrested labor activists in Noida and other states.
“The Struggle Will Intensify”: State Leadership
CITU state leaders warned that if the “anti-labor policies” are not reversed, the trade unions will escalate their movement into a statewide civil disobedience campaign.
”The central government is trying to turn the clock back to the colonial era by dismantling rights that workers fought for over decades. From Noida to Agartala, the working class is united. This protest is a warning—we will not allow our hard-earned rights to be sold to big industries,” a spokesperson stated during the rally.
Nationwide Impact
Similar protests were reported from across India today, including Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal, where workers burned copies of the Labor Codes to mark their defiance. In Agartala, the rally concluded peacefully, though a heavy police presence was maintained to prevent any untoward incidents during the procession.
