Kolkata, Dec 1 (IANS): Hundreds of activists of CPI-M's labour arm, Centre of Trade Unions (CITU), took out a long march on Saturday protesting against the rampant privatisation, retrenchment, lack of job security and dearth of fresh industries across the country.

The long march started from Chittaranjan in West Burdwan district -- the site of the railway PSU Chittaranjan Locomotive Works -- and would end in Kolkata on December 11 with a mass meeting after traversing various south Bengal districts.

The march was inaugurated by veteran trade unionist and CITU all-India Vice President Shyamal Chakraborty, who also walked some distance.

The marchers expressed apprehension that thousands of people in West Bengal would lose their jobs with the Centre announcing privatisation of a number of key PSUs in the state and even closing down units like Burn Standard and Hindustan Cables.

They also raised slogans against the Narendra Modi-led Central government's 'dangerous' plan to brand a large number of margin working class people as foreigners based on a 'communal design' in the name of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise.