Members cutting across party lines on Friday made a strong plea in parliament for a fair deal to workers in unorganised sector.

The demand coincided with the joint agitation by central trade unions to focus on their plight.

In both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, opposition members urged the government to take note of the demands of trade unions which included rollback of hike in prices of petroleum products and fertilsers, checking retrenchment of workers from industries and putting an end to disinvestment.

Rudra Narayan Pani (BJP) said in Rajya Sabha that the budget provision for allocating Rs 1000 crore for the workers of unorganized sectors is like a drop in the ocean.

Ramchandra Khuntia (Cong) supported the demand saying the amount allocated in the budget for this sector is not enough.

He regretted that the recommendation of Arjun Sengupta panel seeking Rs 20,000 crore for agriculture workers was not met.

D Raja (CPI) said the condition of workers both in organised and unorganized sectors is miserable and hike in petrol and fuel prices have hit them in a big way. "The government cannot afford to remain silent," he said.

T K Rangrajan (CPI-M) said the government has to take notice as leaders of trade unions belonging to various parties are courting arrest seeking universalisation of PDS and opposing sale of profit-making PSUs.

Raising the issue in Lok Sabha, Basudeb Acharia (CPI-M) Prabodh Panda (CPI) said the government should protect rights of the working class and safeguard their interests from rising prices.