Asansol, July 3: Coal India Limited (CIL) unions on Thursday started a three-day strike against the Central government's decision to open the coal sector to private players. The workers raised slogans against the e-auction of coal blocks to private parties.

Across the country, coal workers will be on strike between July 2-4. The workers are protesting against commercial mining and the FDI in the coal sector which was implemented last year by the central government.

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During the strike, work in dozens of coal mines in Asansol and its neighbouring areas has been almost completely stopped.

The Koyla Khadan Shramik Congress (KKMC) and the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor (BMS) were against the strike and continued work as usual.

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A similar protest also took place in Jharkhand's Ranchi on Thursday. According to Rajiv Ranjan, Secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, workers are protesting against the privatisation of CIL. "We demand that the authorities put a stop to commercial coal mining in our country. We ask that the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) not be separated from CIL and the decision made by the high power committee regarding contractual workers be enforced," he added.

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