Gorakhpur: 12 labour leaders sent to jail on false charges

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 3^rd 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: 

satyamvarma@gmail.com, sandeep.samwad@gmail.com  www.workerscharter.in

Workers lathi charged in Gorakhpur, 25 workers badly injured, 73 workers arrested

Workers lathi charged in Gorakhpur, 25 workers badly injured, 73 workers arrested along with their leader Tapish whose whereabouts are still unknown

The administration is blatantly supporting the factory owners – has not shown any inclination to dialogue, administration adamant on suppressing the movement and disbanding the striking activists

An independent team of journalists and social workers reaches Gorakhpur to carry out an investigation

Gorakhpur, 20 May. The Workers' Satyagraha which started in Gorakhpur from May 16 was dealt with lathi charge today by a heavy police force in the presence of the DIG. Police arrested 73 workers and one of their leaders Tapish Maindola but there is still no official word about their arrest. Tapish has been arrested on the basis of a concocted FIR lodged by factory owner Ashok Jalan in relation to the incident of firing by his hired goons in which 19 workers were injured. Serious charges under different sections of IPC have been pressed on him including attempt to murder, rioteering etc. The administration is unabashedly siding with the factory owners. The workers had submitted a complaint to the police naming the factory owner Ashok Jalan, history-sheeter Pradeep Singh and others as responsible for the incident of firing but the police have taken no action on their complaint instead they have arrested workers' leader Tapish Maindola on the false FIR of the factory owner Ashok Jalan. Ashok Jalan had stated that Tapish and other workers themselves were involved in the firing on the workers, however, news reports from media clearly say that the firing was done from inside the factory, and it was a well planned attack. The workers' union has expressed concern for the life of their leader Tapish.

In the meanwhile 50 workers who had gone to protest against the arrest of workers at the DM office were heavily lathi charged and 25 workers sustained injuries.

 In the afternoon today about 500 workers taking part in a peaceful demonstration for their legal rights were detained near Gorakhnath Temple here. All 500 workers had tied themselves with a long rope and they sat at the same spot in protest where a heavy police force in the leadership of the DIG had stopped them. According to latest updates, the police resorted to  lathi charge and dispersed the workers arresting 73 of them. But the police did not officially record the arrest of 30 of them and their leader Tapsih. Despite this about 250 workers are still sitting on a dharna at the townhall near Gandhi statue.



It is noteworthy that Tapish was arrested from some other place as he was not a part of the procession. He has been taken to some undisclosed location and the workers fear for his life and safety. It should be known that some police and administrative officials had been continuously warning the workers' leaders of 'dire consequences'. They had been particularly targeting Tapish, Pramod Kumar and Prashant and branding them as 'moists-terrorists'. Even two years ago these leaders had been dealt brutal physical attack by the administration and it is said that the police were planning to kill them in false encounters. However they had to retreat after severe condemnation from all over the country gained momentum and the officers came under huge public pressure. But the administration seems hell-bent on suppressing this movement this time. Under such circumstances there is clear danger to the life and security of Tapish.



The hunger strike was initiated since the morning of 16th May on the demands of the arrest of the accused of the firing incident on 3rd May, action against the guilty officers, judicial enquiry of firing and repression, compensation to the injured workers and ending the lock out in the two factories of V.N. Dyers and reinstatement of all the 18 dismissed workers. Suheela Devi, mother of a worker, three workers - Bindweshwar Rai, Susheel Srivastava and Mahesh Pathak and women activist Shweta are sitting on hunger strike and among them the condition of Susheela, Shweta and Mahesh Pathak has worsened. On the night of 18 May the administration forcibly took away Mahesh Pathak and admitted him to the district hospital but he continued his fast even there and on the morning of 19thMay he again came back and joined the hunger strike.  

Hundreds of workers of the area also have been present day and night on the spot. Meanwhile the administration is acting in favour of the factory owners and is hell bent on ending the hunger strike and dharna and is not paying any attention to the demands of workers. Two rounds of unsuccessful talks were held on the first day in which the owners were adamant on not taking back the dismissed workers. After that the administration did not make any attempt for dialogue. Even last night, police force in the leadership of the top officials of police and administration was prepared to remove the workers from the spot. Sensing this, huge number of workers sitting on dharna tied each other through big ropes. When police saw that the workers could not be removed from the spot without the use of heavy force, it withdrew.

The administration and owners had to relent in face of the massive public pressure and resolute struggle of the workers after the 3 May firing and brutal police repression of workers  in Gorakhpur, and the workers achieved a partial victory. All the 18 workers of Ankur Udyog who were dismissed after they went to participate in the May Day rally in Delhi were taken back and the factory started from May 11.  But the owners of VN Dyers Ltd. are  adamant on their demands. Even the administration was making no attempt to call the owners for talks. They wanted to break the movement by tiring out the workers. But the workers are ready to fight it out.

The workers staged a bicycle rally in the Gorakhpur city today to gather popular support in favour of the workers’ agitation. Even the workers of GIDA industrial area staged a demonstration in their area in support of the agitation. The workers of various factories of Bargadwa are planning to stage a huge demonstration.

Meanwhile an investigation team of journalists and social activists reached Gorakhpur to investigate the incident of firing on workers, their repression and the accusations of violation of labour laws. The members of the investigation team also went to the spot and talked to the workers.

The strong condemnation of the continued repressive attitude of administration towards the workers agitation going on for more than two weeks and its neglect by Uttar Pradesh government is building momentum once again.

We will try to keep you updated of any new developments. Please call on these numbers and ask the Gorakhpur officials to stop the repression immediately and listen to workers' demands:

Div. Commissioner, Gkp, Mr K. Ravindra Nair: 09454400207

District Masgistrate, AK Shukla: 09454417544

DIG: 09454417500

City Magistrate, JK Singh: 09454416213

Commissioner                                    

Office of the Commissioner

Collectrate, Gorakhpur - 273001

0551 - 2338817 (Fax)

Gorakhpur (0551)      

Divisional Commissioner

2333076/2335238 (off)

2336022 (Res)

2338817 (Fax) 

9454417500

District Magistrate                              

Office of the District Magistrate

Collectrate, Gorakhpur - 273001

0551 - 2334569 (Fax)

City Magistrate: J.K. Singh

9454416213

Dy Inspector General of Police         

Cantt., Gorakhpur:
09454400207

0551 - 2201187 / 2333442

DLC, S.P. Shukla 

Labour Office, Civil Lines, Gorakhpur-273001

09453043030

Governor, BL Joshi

Raj Bhavan, Lucknow-226001

0522-2220331, 2236992, 2220494
Fax: 0522-2223892

Special Secretary to Governor: 0522-2236113

Km. Mayawati,

Chief Minister

Fifth Floor, Secretariat Annexe

Lucknow-226001

0522 - 2235733, 2239234 (Fax)

0522 - 2236181, 2239296, 2215501 (Office)

0522 - 2236838 2236985 (Res)

Shri Badshah Singh :                         

Labour Minister,  Department of Labour

Secretariat , Lucknow

0522 - 2238925 (Fax)

Deepak Kumar Singh
Home Secretary
09454405003

Principal Secretary, Labour               

Department of Labour

Secretariat, Lucknow - 226001

0522 - 2237831 (Fax)

Anand Kumar Singh
joint secretary
9415159087

Gorakhpur (0551)      

Divisional Commissioner
09454417500       

2333076, 2335238 (off)

2336022 (Res)

Workers' Struggle Continues in Gorakhpur

Relay Hunger Strike against lockout in two factories and dismissal of 18 workers continues at the Town Hall

Administration and owners under pressure but adamant, workers also ready for a long drawn fight

Gorakhpur, 13th of May. The administration and owners had to relent in face of the massive public pressure and resolute stuggle of the workers after the 3 May firing and brutal police repression of workers  in Gorakhpur, and the workers achieved a partial victory. All the 18 workers of Ankur Udyog who were dismissed after they went to participate in the May Day rally in Delhi have been taken back and the factory started from May 11.  But the owners are adamant on the demand to end the illegal lock-out in two factories of VN Dyers Ltd. in Bargadwa area and reinstatement of the 18 dismissed workers from these two mills. Even the administration has made no attempt to call the owners for talks. Clearly, they want to break the movement by tiring out the workers. But the workers are also ready to fight it out. Due to the feeling of solidarity developed over two years among the workers of Bargadwa, workers from different factories are participating in the relay hunger strike.

The 'workers satyagraha' launched on 9 May was postponed after some of the demands were met, but the relay hunger strike is continuing since then. The demands include arrest of the accused of the firing, action against the guilty officials, judicial inquiry into the firing and repression, compensation to the workers and ending the lockout in VN Dyers and revocation of all dismissed workers. On two occasions the police arrested 5 and 12 workers sitting on hunger strike but released them after the workers protested. 

Meanwhile, various democratic organisations and trade unions of Gorakhpur are preparing for a joint demonstration in support of the workers' movement. Workers of several factories of the the GIDA industrial area have also announced their support to the movement. Preparations have been made to file a petition in the Allahabad High Court and Gorakhpur court to demand an inquiry.

In the meantime, condemnation of the repression of workers of Gorakhpur and support for their movement continues from all over the country.

district administration today attacked the peaceful demonstration of workers in Gorakhpur, leaders arrested

The district administration today attacked the peaceful demonstration of workers in Gorakhpur who were proceeding to the Divisional Commissioner's office to start a Mazdoor Satyagrah to demand justice in the case of firing on workers injuring 19 workers and a girl student.

Around 800 workers, including a number of women workers, had assembled in the FCI ground near the Bargadwa industrial area in Gorakhpur for the program announced and intimated to the officials 4 days before. As soon as they tried to proceed they were stopped by lathi (cane) wielding policemen and two of their leaders Prashant and Shweta were arrested. When the procession went ahead the police charged them with lathis and water cannons. 

The workers are trying to regroup after every attack and are slowly but resolutely proceeding towards the commissioner's office. The workers have decided to stage a sit-in at the commissioner's office till their demands are met. The situation is tense and the adamant attitude of the officials may may lead to further violence from the administration.

We will try to keep you updated of any new developments. Please call on these numbers and ask the Gorakhpur officials to stop the repression immediately and listen to workers' demands:

Div. Commissioner, Gkp, Mr K. Ravindra Nair: 09454400207

District Masgistrate, AK Shukla: 09454417544

DIG: 09454417500

City Magistrate, JK Singh: 09454416213

Workers' Charter Movement 2011

An appeal for solidarity to all justice-loving people

The urban and rural working class population of India is living through a life of intolerable and unutterable misery, injustice and economic oppression. In other words it can be best described as a ‘cold day in hell’. The condition of the urban and rural laborers working in unorganized sector and the unorganized laborers of the organized sector is worst amongst them. The fruits of the progress achieved in the last twenty years of the market liberalisation and privatisation have been enjoyed by the top 15 percent of the total Indian population while the gulf between the rich and poor has yawned to an unprecedented scale. In these   twenty years of rapid economic development, the condition of the toiling masses has worsened. Government data alone is enough to justify this claim.  The workers have only got promises after promises from successive governments but not a single drop of development trickled down to their dark world.
Whatever legal rights the workers had managed to achieve through prolonged struggles and sacrifices, have been mostly snatched back .The age old labor laws present in the statute book, insufficient enough as they are, have been rendered meaningless in practice.  Whatever new laws are introduced by the government as ostentation, are either mostly ineffective and hypocritical or they are pro-capitalist. The labor laws are not only intriguing but also the whole process of justice is so complex and lengthy that the laborers hardly have any chance to get justice .The number of labor dept offices including the officers and the staffs are vastly inadequate and instead of fulfilling its duty of enforcing the labor laws these labor departments often end up acting as an agent of the industry owners .Even the number of labor courts and industrial tribunals are grossly inadequate. For the toiling masses of India, the fundamental right to life as guaranteed by the Constitution has been rendered meaningless. Civil liberty and democratic rights bear no meaning to them. The state machinery is always geared to suppress, directly or indirectly, strike and all the democratic means of resistance through the draconian laws and despotic bureaucracy.
The basic rights such as minimum wages, proper limit of the working hours, ESI, job card etc. are not available to more than 90% of the industrial and rural laborers of India. Even after toiling for 12-14 hours at a stretch in hellish, unhygienic and dangerous conditions they hardly get enough money needed to fulfill their basic needs. Even in these days of severe price-rise, most of the factory workers are paid a paltry sum, ranging between 1800 to 4500 rupees per month for 8 hours of work. In case of death or injury due to the accidents occurring frequently in the workplaces, they are hardly compensated and often not even provided with the basic medication as well, and rather sacked from the job. Most of the workers here are contract, casual, wage and piece-rate laborers and not even a single labor law is implemented for them.
Under these circumstances, the workers of India, would like to let the Parliament and the Government Of India know that, they are not going to bear any more this anarchy and the atrocities meted to them. Enough is enough! They want justice and our rights back and we will regain it at any cost. This is just the beginning of a long campaign. And  as a first step towards  this, they are planning to presentthis charter to the people’s representatives occupying the Parliament and also the parties ruling at the centre  for  a dignified life,for living by  fulfilling our basic necessities of life, for their just and democratic demands and for gaining their legitimate share in the development of this country.
This charter has 26 categories of demands which represent almost all the major needs and political demands of the working class people of India.
On the forthcoming labor day (1 May, 2011) workers from several parts of the country will knock on the doors of the parliament in Delhi, along with this charter signed by thousands of workers across the country.
As for the present, the workers are not asking the deaf occupying the parliament for anything more than just implementing the basic rights guaranteed by the constitution of the land, for us. We are only asking for the minimum requirements a human being needs to live. The struggle of the working class has a long way to go but for the time being let us start this long journey with the demand for our democratic rights, as a first step.
The significance of this movement is that the workers are presenting their demands under the combined banner of the ‘Workers’ Charter Movement’ instead of different banners. Fighting different owners separately divides the workers and thus weakens the whole struggle, which ultimately benefits the industrialists. For this reason, the ‘Workers’ Charter Movement’ is presenting the common demands of the whole working class, in front of the rulers of the country.
Some independent labor organisations and unions active in different parts of the country and a labor journal played a major role in formulating the demands in this charter and a few small labor assemblies (Mazdoor Panchayats) also aided in this process; and they have taken the initiative to draft the charter and take it to the workers, but at the same time it also has to be clarified that this movement is not under the banner of any union, organisation or political party at all. The aim is that the ‘Workers’ Charter Movement’ should become the struggle of all those working people, whose demands are mentioned in the charter, thus to transform it into a unified struggle of the whole working class of the country. This movement is intended to run in several phases and cycles. A symbolic start is being made on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the historic ‘May Day’. This is the first step towards the long march for the liberation of the working class.
Today, this start is a symbolic one because the vast working class population is divided and unorganised. But this cannot remain as such for long. The number of urban and rural proletariat along with the semi-proletariats in India, is about 75 crores. It will also gain support of the lower middle class, who are constantly been oppressed by this suppressive regime. When organised, it would become a very strong force. The demand for the rights of this three-fourth of the total population would go a long way. Since the past few months, teams of workers and activists have been visiting industrial areas, workers colonies, workers lodges, lanes and by-lanes in the slums – where ever workers live, to educate the workers about the charter and get it signed by them. Night meetings are held and street meetings and cultural shows are organised to popularise the charter in several areas.
We appeal to all the people to build solidarity and stand by this movement. If you are a worker then don’t forget to sign this charter yourself, get it signed by your fellow workers and also be present at Jantar Mantar (New Delhi) on 1st May. If you are not a worker, go to the labor colonies and slums around you, educate them about the charter and its implications, get it signed by them and come with us at the Jantar Mantar to express solidarity on the said date. Though the signatures in this charter should be of the worker’s alone but whoever agrees with these demands should certainly reach Delhi to express solidarity.
The middle class is evidently unhappy with the rampant corruption in our system but isn’t it the biggest corruption which constantly denies the workers, the fruit they yield with their blood and tears? There can be no justice when 80% of the population lives in continuous denial of their basic rights. Anguish of the people is mounting high and the day this dormant volcano wakes up, the pillars of the heaven will be terribly shaken for sure.
The beginning of every long journey starts with a small step. We invite you to join and stand by this campaign for rights and justice.

- Convening Committee, Worker’s Charter Movement – 2011.