New Delhi, April 3 CPI(ML) Liberation MP Raja Ram Singh wrote to Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday, raising concerns over the mass layoffs carried out by Oracle Corporation in India and demanding urgent government intervention to protect workers' rights.
In his letter to the minister, Singh expressed "deep concern and outrage" over the reported layoff of 12,000 employees by the software giant, saying the move raises "serious questions not only about corporate accountability but also about the role of the government in safeguarding the rights and dignity of workers".
He said companies operating in India benefit from "substantial tax concessions, public infrastructure, and a favorable policy environment", but such incentives come with a responsibility to generate employment.
"Actions such as these arbitrary and large-scale layoffs betray that social contract and destroy the foundations of dignified employment," the Left leader said.
Highlighting the manner of job cuts, he alleged that "terminating thousands of employees with little to no notice is a violation of the basic principles of job security and human dignity".
Singh also questioned accountability, asking, "After being terminated without warning, who will take responsibility for their livelihoods and the survival of the thousands of families left behind?"
The member of Parliament criticised what he termed the Centre's inaction, saying it "tells large corporations that labour protections in India are negotiable and the government doesn't stand with its people".
In his letter, Singh urged the labour minister to "seek an immediate and detailed explanation" from Oracle on the layoffs, take steps to prevent "arbitrary mass layoffs", and put in place stronger safeguards to protect employees from "sudden and unjust termination".
"The dignity of labour cannot be compromised. The government must take a firm stand to ensure that workers in India are not treated as expendable," he said.
The CPI(ML) Liberation leader also warned that the "silence of the Union government poses a grave danger to the job security of millions working at the mercy of these large corporations in the IT industry".
US-based IT firm Oracle is believed to have laid off approximately 12,000 staff in India, with another round of layoffs expected within a month, impacted employees said on Tuesday.
Globally, the company has fired around 30,000 employees. Oracle has approximately 30,000 employees in India, including those affected by the layoffs.