People's Democracy

SHOLAPUR, MAHARASHTRA

 Convention Demands Protection To Beedi

Workers, Safeguards To Industry

 P R Krishnan

THE city of Sholapur in south east Maharashtra witnessed a unique rally of beedi workers, joined by hundreds of beedi and tobacco industry owners, demanding protection of beedi workers from the rigours of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003. This act, passed in parliament during the BJP led Vajpayee regime in May 2003 and being implemented since May 1 this year, has played havoc with the livelihood of Indian beedi workers.

The number of beedi workers over the country is estimated to be more than 15 million, an overwhelming 95 per cent of them being females. Joined by children and other family members, these beedi workers are on an average required to work 12 hours a day to earn a living. Most of the tobacco cultivation is concentrated in and around Nipani district in Karnataka and Khed district in Gujarat, while the tendu leaves for rolling the beedis are grown in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa. It is to be noted here that, unlike the cigarette industry which involves different chemical processes and mechanical operations, beedi manufacturing activity is fully handled by humans and does not require chemical processing and machine operations.

Of the 15 million beedi workers, about 2.5 to 3 lakh are in Maharashtra alone, spread over in remote village areas in various parts of this state. More than 70,000 of them are concentrated in the city of Sholapur and its surrounding areas.

The enforcement of the said act’s prohibitory provisions has created gloom in the life of beedi workers and in the beedi and tobacco industry in Maharashtra. The gloom is spreading to other states as well. In Sholapur alone, almost 10,000 workers have been rendered unemployed. The industry in Maharashtra is also in the grip of an unprecedented crisis as, according to the industry circles, there is a decline to the extent of 15 to 20 per cent in its turnover.

The main reason for this is that the bureaucrats, who framed the act and the rules thereunder, are callous to the needs of beedi workers and to the problems of the century old industry. Nor did the MPs, who voted for the law in parliament, adequately study the bill before if was passed. On the other hand, the cigarette manufacturing multinationals are flouting the act in many ways, particularly during the big events such as cricket and other sports. The result is mounting joblessness among beedi workers and huge revenue losses to state and central governments.

It was in these circumstances that the CITU in Sholapur took initiative to organise several joint meetings of trade unions, beedi workers and beedi and tobacco industrial employers. The campaign helped in forming joint committees of various trade unions and the beedi manufacturers associations. The process culminated in the formation of Beedi Udyog Sanrakshan Samyukta Sangharsh samiti with Nithinbhai Desai of beedi industry as chairman and CITU leader Narsayya Adam Master as convenor. This joint committee made repeated representations to the present state government and the previous NDA government demanding modifications in the rules. But all such representations fell on deaf ears. It was in these circumstances that the unprecedented joint convention of beedi workers and owners took place in the Vast Kuche High School Maidan in the heart of this historic city of Sholapur on July 25.

The organisers had invited the former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi and leader of opposition in state assembly, Narayan Rane. But they did not come. Instead, the Shiv Sena deputed 3 of its MLAs (Uttam Prakash Khandare, Shivsharan Patel, Smt Neelam Gore) and 3 other leaders (Vilas Bhanushali, Vishnu Karampuri and Padmabai Mahanta). The BJP was represented by Subhas Deshmukh, MP, and the Congress(I) by Vishwanath Chakote, MLA. The HMS was represented by Khwaja Hussain Attar and Dr Dikshapati Sanchu. The Sholapur city municipal corporation mayor Smt Nalini Chandele also attended and greeted the conference. The beedi industry employers were represented among others by Nitinbhai Desai, Sudhirseth Sable, Govind Prasad Tiwari and Sunil Kshatriya. However, it was regrettable that, despite invitation, the AITUC did not send any of its representatives for the convention.

Speaking at the convention, CITU president Dr M K Pandhe said the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 was passed by the previous Lok Sabha without proper consideration of the problems of the millions of beedi workers and the hundreds of the beedi industry owners. The guiding force behind passing of the law, Pandhe said, was the multinational cigarette lobby. The bureaucracy which drafted the legislation never bothered to safeguard the interests of the workers engaged in this industry. This is how this act has resulted in the present pathetic condition for the beedi workers and the beedi industry. This needs to be corrected.

Congratulating the workers, leaders of various unions and owners of the beedi units for taking steps to organise the joint convention, Pandhe assured them that the CITU would take up the matter with the central government. He also assured them full support to their agitation for necessary amendments in the law.

State CITU general secretary K L Bajaj conveyed the greetings from Sitaram Yechury for the success of the conference. Bajaj said Yechury had assured that he would render all assistance to the beedi workers and employers in taking their problems to the central government.

In his concluding speech, Narsayya Adam Master announced that the joint action committee would organise a march of beedi workers to Delhi and stage a demonstration before parliament during its next session. The workers approved this call with prolonged applause.

Among others who addressed the convention were Smt Nazeema Shaikh, Vasant Pawar, M D Shaikh and Durgadas Gujar.

M K Pandhe, who had earlier addressed a press conference in Sholapur, was later given a reception by the Sholapur Trade Union Council where he appraised the audience about the present national situation and the role of the Left parties. He pointed out that the working class has played a leading role in defeating the communal forces in the last general election and in bringing to power the United Progressive Alliance government.

Since the convention, there were demonstrations before the collectorate offices statewide on August 4. On the day, defying the torrential rain, the city collectorate office in Sholapur was surrounded and a huge dharna and demonstration were staged there. Here, Narsayya Adam Master and other speakers lashed out against the anti-people provisions in the law.

Preparation for the march to parliament is now going on in Sholapur and other part of Maharashtra in full swing.