ALL India Loco Running Staff Association’s 20th All India Conference was held in Chithorgarh of Rajasthan from November 15 to 16. The Conference was organised at a railway garden near Chithorgarh station in Rathlam Division of Western Railway. More than 3,000 loco running staff members and their families from all over the country assembled at the venue. The meet was welcomed by Badri Lal Jat and presided over by L Mony and N B Dutta. The Conference was inaugurated by Basudeb Acharia, former MP and vice-president of CITU. Acharia stressed the need of massive workers’ unity to oppose the central government’s move to invite foreign direct investment (FDI) in railway operations, introduce anti-labour amendments in labour laws, etc. Also, he emphasised the necessity of rigorous struggle to achieve the just demands of loco running staff like limiting the working hours, revision of outdated hours of employment regulation, etc. President of All India Kisan Sabha Amra Ram, Srivastava of All India Guards Council, Satish Kumar Kulshreshta of All India Station Masters Association, and Bijan Bihari of All India Defence Employees Federation addressed the Conference among others. The Conference took unanimous decision to strengthen the ongoing struggle by the country’s working class irrespective of their affiliations. Association secretary general M N Prasad submitted the working report and the treasurer, Jit Singh Tank, submitted accounts statement. All the 16 zonal railway comrades attended the discussion. On the evening of November 15, a mass rally was organised with participation of motorbikes, camels and horses. The rally covered the entire Chithorgarh town by walking around 10 km. A wonderful cultural show was arranged in the evening. The Conference unanimously elected 39 office-bearers with L Mony as president, N B Dutta as working president, M N Prasad as secretary general and Jit Singh Tank as treasurer. (EOM)