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 On Thursday  hundreds of domestic workers marched from Mandi House to parliament street in Delhi demanding withdrawal of the Centre’s proposed labour code and introduction of a comprehensive law granting social security to domestic workers.Organised by the National Platform for Domestic Workers (NPDW) and the Central Trade Unions, the march was meant to make a “final appeal to the government” for a comprehensive law, said Nalini Naik, who is associated with the Self-Employed Women’s Federation (SEWA) and is a convener for the NPDW.A representation was made to the government with over three lakh signatures collected from workers all over the country.After meeting numerous MPs over the last couple of months, many of the organisers of the march said they were hopeful that a comprehensive legislation would be enacted by the government. But not everyone shared their optimism.Jaswinder Kaur, a 54-year-old domestic worker from Amritsar in Punjab, said: “Modi ji mann ki baat karte hai. Par woh kabhi janta ki baat nahi sunte. [Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks from the heart but never listens to the public].”Regardless of her opinion, Jaswinder came from Amritsar to make sure her voice was heard.The protesters listed out numerous concerns, including their inability to get leave from work and lack of dignity accorded to them. One worker spoke of how she was denied the use of her employer’s bathroom and was beaten by a guard when she went to relieve herself in a nearby park.

 

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Supriya

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