Rally from Panchayat Bhawan to DC office draws large turnout
TNR News Network
SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla witnessed a massive show of strength on Wednesday (November 26, 2025) as CITU, farmer bodies and several Left-leaning organisations hit the streets in a coordinated national protest against the Centre’s newly enforced Labour Codes and what they termed “anti-worker, anti-farmer policies”.
The demonstrators marched from the Panchayat Bhawan to the DC office, raising slogans against the Modi government and demanding the rollback of all four Labour Codes. Participants included workers affiliated with CITU, members of the Himachal Kisan Sabha and activists of the state’s apple growers’ associations. A large number of daily-wage and scheme workers also joined the march.
Unions demand rollback of labour codes, higher minimum wage, MGNREGA expansion
Protesters pressed for a minimum monthly wage of Rs 26,000, 200 days of guaranteed work under MGNREGA and Rs 500 as the daily wage rate under the rural job scheme. They also demanded regularisation of scheme workers, outsourced staff and other contractual employees.
Farmers and orchardists joined in with demands for legally guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, a halt to land acquisition without consent and the assurance of five bighas of land for cultivation. Rehabilitation of disaster-hit families and displaced residents was also part of the charter.
Protest spills beyond Shimla, spreads to districts
Similar demonstrations were reported from several districts and block headquarters, where workers, farmers and horticulturists held joint protests as part of the nationwide call.
The 11-point memorandum also sought a halt to privatisation of public services and installation of smart electricity meters. Demands included stronger safeguards against atrocities and discrimination faced by SC/ST communities and women. Milk producers sought monthly payments strictly in line with support prices.
Addressing the gathering, a CITU leader accused the Centre of dismantling protections earned over decades. He alleged that the Labour Codes were designed to weaken job security and empower corporations at the cost of workers’ welfare.
He said the Centre was ignoring fundamental demands like fair wages, employment security, guaranteed MGNREGA workdays and remunerative prices for farmers. He warned that the agitation would intensify across India if the government failed to respond.
At the end of the rally, the unions jointly submitted the 11-point memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner for onward submission to the President and declared that a stronger, wider movement would follow if their demands remained unaddressed.
