People's Democracy

FEROZABAD

Police Repression Against CITU Leaders Condemned

THROUGH a statement issued from New Delhi on June 9, the secretariat of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has strongly condemned the repression let loose against some CITU leaders by the police in Ferozabad district in Uttar Pradesh.

The statement said the district administration and the police in Ferozabad (UP) have been resorting to unprecedented repressive measures against the trade union functionaries and activities, who have been organising the workers in the glass and bangles industries in the area. The Kanch Udyog Krantikari Mazdoor Sangh, affiliated to the CITU, has been spearheading the movement of the workers in Ferozabad and had forced the managements to stop extracting work for 11-12 hours daily from the workers and stick to an 8 hours working shift. To quell the rising resistance of the workers to the horrifying exploitative conditions prevalent in these industries, the employers and the local administration have jointly been unleashing terror and repression for the past several months now. As many as 89 workers have been imprisoned for nearly three months. Scores of false case have been foisted on the trade union activists. On June 7-8 midnight, the police deployed an 800 strong contingent around the residence of Dilip Kumar Yadav, a prominent leader of the CITU, arrested him and took him to jail. Earlier, the police had announced a reward of Rs 2000 each on Dilip Kumar Yadav and Sanjay Jain, main leaders of the CITU in the area.

Also, while taking him in custody, the police had brutally assaulted Dilip Kumar.

This police action met with an immediate protest strike in all the units of glass and bangle industry in Ferozabad on June 7 and 8.

While strongly condemning the arrest of Dilip Kumar Yadav and the reign of terror unleashed by the UP police and the district administration in Ferozabad, the CITU has demands immediate release of Dilip Kumar Yadav. The CITU also congratulated the workers for their valiant protest strike. It has demanded that the chief minister of UP take immediate steps to end the repression on the workers and trade union leaders in Ferozabad and ensure strict implementation of labour laws in all units of glass and bangle industry in the district. (INN)