People's Democracy

AISGEF Condemns Kolkata HC Ruling

THE All India State Government Employees’ Federation (AISGEF) has strongly protested against yet another anti-working class ruling by the Kolkata High Court on November 10 against bandhs in general and against government employees participating in them.

AISGEF general secretary Sukomal Sen in a statement issued from Kolkata on November 13 called upon all workers and employees to vehemently condemn this ruling, which he termed as “another glaring example of overriding Judicial activism against the workers’ right to protest.”

The judgement came in the wake of three separate bandh calls given by three non-ruling political parties in West Bengal – on November 17, 22 and December 03 – against the recent hike in petroleum products by the central government. The Kolkata High Court referring to the infamous rulings of the Supreme Court, declaring bandhs unconstitutional, ordered that government employees must attend office and directed the chief secretary of the West Bengal government to issue circulars asking the government employees to attend office and to deduct pay  for their absence and take other measures for ensuring law and order.

The AISGEF stated “It is quite understandable that the call for three separate bandhs on three separate dates, within a span of two weeks, for the same reason  is totally ill-conceived and harmful. And it is up to the people to decide whether they would respond to the bandh calls or not. But judicial intervention in the matter is quite unwarranted and not at all acceptable.”

It reminded that 4 crore government employees, teachers and other sections of workers registered their vehement protest against the ruling of the Supreme Court against the Right to Strike by organising a countrywide complete strike on February 24, 2004.

The AISGEF and other government employees and teachers’ organisations have already decided to submit a Mass Petition to the Parliament signed by 5 crore employees and workers by organising a massive March to Parliament on  December 7 at Delhi. It urged all working people to make this programme a  grand success keeping in mind the latest ruling of the Kolkata High Court and prove before the entire country that such rulings will never be accepted by the workers and employees.

(INN)