Maya’s reign turned into reign of terror: Police chase out labourers throughout the day
The labour leaders start fast-unto-death in jail
New Delhi, 21 May. Today police and administration created a new record of pro-factory owner misrule. But despite the police repression, workers continued their satyagrah.When the workers who were sitting on hunger strike since 16 May were proceeding towards district collector’s office for giving a memorandum regarding the demands of arresting the culprit of the incident of firing on 3rd May etc, police brutally lathi-charged on them and took 73 workers into custody. Most of them were released by late night but a B. H. U. Student Shweta, woman worker Susheela Devi and 12 others were arrested. The police took away labour leader Tapish Maindola from some other place and was refusing to show his arrest till today morning. Later in the afternoon Tapish was suddenly presented before the court. The Police have registered a case of suicide under section 309 against all the labour leaders. It is ridiculous because most of the arrested leaders were not among those who sat on the fast. Shweta and Susheela Devi whose health had worsened after five days of hunger strike have been later released on bail. Rest 12 workers have been sent to jail. The labour leaders have started fast-unto-death in the jail itself.On the other hand, hundreds of workers were proceeding towards the office of district collector even today according to a pre announced program, but police did not allow them to gather by charging them with lathis at several places. After that the workers tried to stage a dharna at Gandhi statue in Town Hall but the police did not let them reach even there. For hours, the office of district collector had turned into a cantonment and the police personnel chased out the workers by searching in the neighbouring areas. As soon as police was finding four to five people looking like workers, they were dispersed through lathi-charge.Despite the repression which continued throughout the day, the workers are determined to carry on their Satyagrah. By the evening , hundreds of workers again gathered at the gate of the locked out factories of V.N. Dyers at the same place where the fast-unto-death was stopped by police through arrest. Large number of workers from different factories are sitting on dharna in support of the labour leaders on hunger strike in jail.Meanwhile the owners of the V.N. Dyers factory have taken a more stubborn approach and have put up a notice on the factory gate stating that the workers who do not join work from tomorrow shall be dismissed and new recruitments shall take place.The United Workers' Rights Struggle Front has strongly condemned this step and said that the owners of the factory are doing such things only by the support of the labour department and the district administration.On the other hand, the workers have sent a memorandum to Chief Minister Mayawati through the District Magistrate's office and have warned her to intervene immediately and do justice otherwise the labour unrest will spread even more. The main demands in the memorandum include immediate release of all 14 arrested leaders and false cases against them be withdrawn, Ashok Jalan, AnkurJalan, Pradeep Singh (History-sheeter of the Sahjanwa area) and others responsible for firing on workers on 3rd May in which about 20 workers were injured be arrested immediately and charged with relevant sections for attempt to murder and stern action be taken against them, strict action be taken against the officers responsible for the brutal attacks on workers on 9th May, a high-level judicial enquiry be ordered in the whole incident, adequate compensation be paid to the injured workers, suspended workers be taken back on work and the illegal lock out of the factories be lifted immediately so that they become operational.
For,
Citizens Front in support of Gorakhpur Worker's Movement
Contacts: 9936650658 (Katyayani); 9910462009 (Satyam); 8447011935 (Sandeep) Email:
No comments:
Post a Comment