Hundreds of workers staged a demonstration in Kolkata against the repression of workers’ movement in Gorakhpur and the anti-labour policies of the Uttar Pradesh government and sent a memorandum to UP Chief Minister Mayawati through the governor. More than 500 workers belonging to various factories including Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, Hindustan Engineering and Industries Ltd., Bharat Battery, Calcutta Jute Mill, Sura Jute Mill, American Refrigerators co. etc staged a protest demonstration yesterday at Esplanade, the administrative hub of Kolkata, under the banner of Shramik Sangram Samiti. Some organizations from Delhi, Punjab and Maharashtra are also planning protests on this issue.
Workers intensify their campaign among workers-peasants, students-youths, employees and common citizens in and around Gorakhpur
The Joint Workers Rights Struggle Front has speeded up the campaign to gather mass support for exposing the industrialists-administration nexus and in favour of the demands of workers which was started two days ago through street meetings in the two industrial areas of Gorakhpur, offices and the main spots of the cities and door-to-door campaigning in the residential areas. The pamphlets distributed on large scale during the campaign say that whatever the workers have gone through in the past three weeks has thoroughly exposed the anti-worker face of the Gorakhpur administration and it has shown the true picture of the democracy in our country. Right from the May 3 firing incident, the workers have peacefully and patiently continued their ‘Satyagraha’ for their just demands but instead of justice they have only got canes, abuses and jail. The police and administration are blatantly serving the factory owners by keeping the law at bay. The criminals are roaming fearlessly and those who demand the implementation of the laws have been pushed behind bars. The Front has appealed to the workers-employees, students-youth, intellectuals and common citizens to help and cooperate with their struggle.