New Delhi, Aug 8 (KNN) Raising concern over the security of women, Congress has opposed the labour reform proposed in the Parliament by the Narendra Modi government, which would allow women employees to work in night shifts in factories. Factories cannot be compared to BPOs, as women employees get transport facility in the BPOs, the congress spokesperson said.

The Factories Amendment Bill was tabled in Lok Sabha yesterday which seeks to relax the earlier bar on employing women in factories for night shifts, that is, between 7pm and 6am.

“The bill will provide permission for employment of women for night work in a factory or group or class or description of factories with adequate safeguards for safety and provision of transportation up to their residence,” Ministry of Labour and Employment said in a release.

According to a media report, Congress party spokeswoman and head of its women’s wing, Shobha Oza said, "I feel with the type of atmosphere we have in our country at present, the number of rape cases we have and steady increase in atrocities, sexual harassment, assault against women, I don't think it is very advisable to have night shifts for women in factories.”

She further said that there were 12 hours during the day time to employ them.

Oza said the BPO sector could not be compared with factories as most of the labourers commute by public vehicles; they go by bus or walk. In BPOs, women were also given transport for travelling to the workplace and back, she said. (KNN/SD)