Speaking for the General Insurance Employees All India Association, All-Indian Bank employees' Association and All-India LIC Employees Federation, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said: ``The morcha of various unions will invite all, including BJP leaders, who oppose opening of the insurance sector to foreign and private Indian companies.''

Dasgupta, who also happens to be the party's Rajya Sabha MP, said the morcha of over 20 trade unions in the financial sector will organise a massive march on 29th of this month to the Parliament to appeal to all parliamentarians to resist the the Government's move to open the insurance sector to foreign and private Indian companies as well as the Verma Committee Report and its recommendation concerning the weak public sector banks.

The march will be followed by a nation-wide strike after the discussion on the IRDA Bill is taken up in the Lok Sabha. Dasgupta said about 13 lakh employees of banks, insurance and all other financial institutions will join the one day nation-wide strike.

Threatening to take the issue to the masses in case their efforts to stall the Bill in Parliament fails, Dasgupta said: ``Everyone must resist the Bill as it would destroy the economic health of the country.''

He said the Government's decision to open the insurance sector to foreign and Indian private companies is not a response to domestic compulsions or a result of popular demand. ``The LIC and GIC have not become sick units and need budgetary support,'' Dasgupta said. ``In fact, there was no craze for foreign insurance in the country,'' he felt, adding that both firms have launched various insurance schemes for the common people, while paying the government high dividends.