Labour minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar's agenda

The role of outsiders in trade unions must be minimised

Soon after taking charge as the minister of state for labour and employment earlier this week, Santosh Kumar Gangwar said he would speed up labour law reforms and bring trade unions on board.

If wishes were horses, the new minister would achieve this and much more. But here’s a sobering thought: Gangwar’s statement is almost a repeat of what his predecessors have been saying on their first day in office for many years, with insignificant results.

The fact is no government has had the courage to take on the trade unions beyond some initial feel-good statements and tentative actions. To