Against Police Brutalities at Gurgaon

Protest Day Observed Throughout The Country

AT the joint call of the central trade unions, protest day was observed on August 1, 2005 throughout the country by the working class through demonstration, dharna, rally, procession etc to denounce the police brutalities on the workers of Honda and other industries at Gurgaon. The protest was also in demand of release of all workers and trade union activists, withdrawal of all cases against them, punishment of all erring police and administrative officials and fulfillment of all just demands of Honda workers including recognition of their trade union rights.

As per reports received at the time of writing this, all the state capitals of the country and the major industrial centers have witnessed joint demonstration and processions by the trade unions.

At Gurgaon and Dharuheda industrial belt, besides meetings at all factory gates, convention was held at Sector 14 (Gurgaon) Community centre and a massive public meeting was held at the Town Park Maidan at Dharuheda in the afternoon.

In New Delhi, gate demonstrations were held in the industrial areas in the early hours of the day itself. Around 11.30 a m thousands of workers joined in a dharna organised in front of Jantar Mantar. The dharna was addressed by Tapan Sen, secretary CITU, Rameswar Yadav (AICCTU), R K Sharma (UTUC-LS), Mohan Lal, Sudhir Kumar and Nathu Prasad, general secretary, president and vice president of Delhi state CITU, Santosh Roy (AICCTU), besides others. In solidarity to workers struggle, the dharna was also addressed by Mona Das, president JNU Students’ Union, Aravindan (SFI), P K Pawar (AIDYO) and Sudhanwa Deshpande of Jana Natya Manch.

The speakers while congratulating the workers of Gurgaon for their heroic struggle, demanded upon the government for immediate punishment of concerned police officials and district-head of the administration at Gurgaon and withdrawal of all court cases against the workers and TU activists of Gurgaon. Workers must get all their just demands and there must not be any interference with their trade union rights, the speakers asserted. The call was given for intensifying the preparatory campaign for the countrywide general strike on September 29 against the economic policies of the central government and demanding implementation of the pro-people commitments. (INN)