PATNA/NEW DELHI — CPI-ML MP Raja Ram Singh on Thursday urged Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to intervene in reported mass layoffs at a private IT company, raising concerns over worker protections and corporate accountability.
In a letter to the minister, Singh expressed “deep concern and outrage” over reports that nearly 12,000 employees have been laid off, arguing that the situation underscores the need for stronger safeguards for workers.
“These incentives are extended with the expectation that companies will generate employment and contribute to economic stability. However, arbitrary and large-scale layoffs betray this social contract and undermine the foundations of dignified employment,” Singh said.
He pointed out that companies operating in India benefit from tax concessions, public infrastructure, and supportive policy frameworks provided by both central and state governments, and said such advantages come with responsibilities toward employees.
Singh also criticized the reported manner of the layoffs, alleging that thousands of workers were terminated with little or no notice.
“After being terminated without warning, who will take responsibility for their livelihoods and the survival of the thousands of families affected?” he said.
He warned that a lack of government response could signal that labor protections are negotiable, potentially weakening worker rights more broadly.
In his letter, Singh called on the ministry to seek a detailed explanation from the company regarding the scale, circumstances, and process behind the layoffs. He also urged immediate steps to prevent arbitrary mass terminations and ensure accountability for any violations of labor laws.
“The dignity of labor cannot be compromised. The government must take a firm stand to ensure that workers in India are not treated as expendable,” he said.
Singh, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation in Bihar, was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2024 from the Karakat constituency, defeating independent candidate Pawan Singh and Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha. (Source: IANS)
