Tripura Congress slams Centre over new labour code, demands withdrawal

Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee on Monday, May 11, strongly criticised the Central Government’s implementation of the new Labour Code, alleging that the policy is anti-worker and harmful to the interests of labourers, farmers and unemployed youth across the country.

Addressing the media, TPCC Spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are pursuing policies that favour a small section of wealthy people while pushing the majority of citizens into economic insecurity and dependence on government assistance.
He alleged that the Centre formally enforced the Labour Code’s central rules on May 8, 2026, after the completion of elections in five states. According to him, although the Labour Code Bills were passed in Parliament during 2019-20 and the law was officially notified on December 21, 2025, the government delayed publishing the draft rules because of the Bihar Assembly elections.

Chakraborty further claimed that the Labour Code provisions would weaken workers’ rights by reducing wage protections, easing retrenchment in establishments employing fewer than 300 workers, and giving employers greater discretion regarding compensation and workplace safety issues. He also alleged that provisions similar to Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which he described as restrictive towards labour movements, have been incorporated into the Labour Code framework.
The Congress leader said the party had opposed the “black law” earlier and would continue to demand its withdrawal in the interest of workers across the country.
The Tripura Congress also urged the Government of Tripura to intervene and amend the Labour Code at the state level by using powers available under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. Chakraborty said the state government should introduce practical amendments to protect labourers and common people from the adverse effects of the new law.

Highlighting the economic situation in Tripura, he alleged that unemployment and financial hardship are increasing due to a lack of government recruitment and what he termed anti-people policies of the Centre. He claimed that official figures showed that under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), workers in the state received only 40 days of employment during the last month.

The Congress demanded immediate withdrawal of the Labour Code and called upon the state government to take positive steps for safeguarding the interests of workers and ordinary citizens in Tripura.