A message from Golibar to Gorakhpur workers movement

Mumbai, 30^th of May. The desire of the administration to reduce the slums, settlements and the societies of the Khar(east) into ashes, ultimately went in vain. The unity of the inhabitants there and the support gained from all over the country including the hunger strike undertaken by the social activist Medha Patkar and her colleagues forced the mafia-builder-administration nexus to draw their steps back.

The afternoon of the last 28th May the entire area was filled with the slogans like ‘long live the revolution’,'will fight and win’ etc. when the chief secretary carrying the chief minister’s order visited the demonstration site to issue an order regarding the concern. Now the representatives of the civil society and the two committees of the state and administration will inspect the entire case and till the conclusion is drawn the slums and the societies cannot be bulldozed or erased. One among these two committees will inspect the Ganesh Kripa Society case while the other one is set to inspect the cases of the rest 15 slums along with the settlements and colonies.

It is a fact well known to all by now that in the past few days the collector had demolished near about 25 houses inspite of the chief minister’s order for not to take any such steps in Golibar Nagar. Even the CM has ordered an enquiry on the alleged corruption charges labelled against the ‘Sivalik Ventures’, the builder assigned with the redevelopment task in this matter. Still the alliance of local administration-mafia-builders was never far away to humiliate and harass the slums-settlements-societies here.

Four days prior to this date a written and recorded message was conveyed to the inhabitants of the Golibar on behalf of the Gorakhpur workers movement where in Pramod Kumar a leader of the Joint Workers’ Right Struggle Front from Gorakhpur asked the struggling masses of Golibar to remain united to ensure victory. While mentioning their struggle against the alliance of the owners-goons-leaders in Gorakhpur he also expressed the solidarity to the people of Golibar, on behalf of the Gorakhpur workers movement.

After ensuring victory for themselves, the people of Golibar too conveyed a message in solidarity to the Gorakhpur workers movement. A leader namely Prerna Gayekawad of the Golibar struggle asserted in her message that “we have won our struggle, now you have to continue your struggle. You should continue your struggle while we are always with you”.

Devan and Faiza from the Ganesh Kripa Society too sent a personalised message to the Gorakhpur workers movement where in they said “the inhabitants of the Ganesh Kripa Society condemns in their strongest words the repression of the workers movement in Gorakhpur by the corrupt officials and thus expresses their fullest solidarity to the movement. You should continue the fight and you shall overcome”.

To listen to the recorded message please click the following link.

To know more about this movement, visit: http://khareastandolan.wordpress.com/

Demonstration in Kolkata against the repression of workers’ movement in Gorakhpur, activist Sandeep Pandey expresses concern

Fact-finding team led by social activist Sandeep Pandey expresses concern over violation of labour laws in the factories of Gorakhpur

Veteran social activist Kamla Pandey writes another letter to the Chief Minister Mayawati

New Delhi, 29 May. 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.

After the demonstration, a three member delegation met Mr M.K. Narayanan, the governor of West Bengal and presented him a memorandum in support of the demands of agitating workers in Gorakhpur and against the anti-labour policies of the Uttar Pradesh government. The delegation urged the governor to convey the feelings of the workers and intellectuals of West Bengal to the UP CM Ms. Mayawati.

Addressing the protest meeting, the speakers said that a new consciousness is emerging among the workers against the attacks on their rights and they are organising and waging struggles by breaking away from the status quoist established trade unions. Though this phenomenon is still in its embryonic form, the ruling classes leave no stone unturned to crush it at this stage. The attacks on the workers struggling in Gorakhpur for last one month by the factory owners and administration needs to be seen in this regard. The speakers stressed the need to form a nationwide platform of the leading workers of all such struggles so that a united resistance could be posed against the onslaught of rulers and exploiters. Apart from the leaders of different factory unions, the meeting was addressed by Tushar Bhattacharya, editor of ‘Shramik Ishtehar’ a newspaper published from Kolkata and Subhashish D. Sharma, editor of ‘Hamari Soch’ a fortnightly published from Ghaziabad.

In the meanwhile, a joint fact-finding team of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Peoples Union for Human Rights (PUHR) led by Magsaysay Award winner social activist Sandeep Pandey visited Gorakhpur and investigated the reasons behind the firing incident in Ankur Udyog Ltd. on May 3 and the continued labour unrest since then. The team met Pappu Jaiswal, the injured worker who is in hospital ever since the firing incident and then reached Bargadwa to meet the workers of Ankur Udyog where the workers of the two locked out factories of V N Dyers also reached.

The workers described the violations of labour laws in the factories and the working conditions in detail to the investigation team. The team was shocked to find that there was no arrangement of even first aid within the factory in the event of an injury to workers. They saw that a worker’s finger was injured and he had to be taken outside even for a simple bandage. 900 workers work in 3 shifts in this yarn-making factory. The workers who sustained bullet or pallet injuries in the incident on 3rd May have not received any aid from the factory owners and administration. Apart from Sandeep Pandey, the investigation team consisted of Fateh Bahadur Singh and Rajeev Yadav of PUCL and Manoj Singh of PUHR. The investigation team would issue a detailed report on June 3 in Lucknow. However, in a press release issued in Gorakhpur, the team demanded that a judicial enquiry should be ordered in the firing and lathicharge on workers and the lock out in the two factories of VN Dyers should be ended by taking back all the 18 dismissed workers.

In Lucknow the veteran ex-teachers’ union leader and chairperson of Anurag Trust, Kamla Pandey sent another letter to the chief minister Mayawati saying that if the continued repression and harassment of the workers in Gorakhpur is not stopped, she would go to Gorakhpur and start a fast-unto-death herself. She said that in the arrogance of power, perhaps Ms Mayawati has forgotten that she is also a representative of the lakhs of workers of the state. If the voice of workers is continuously ignored in this manner, she would have to face its consequences in the next assembly elections.

The campaign of condemnation of the repression of the workers in Gorakhpur and sending memorandum to Mayawati is continuing. A delegation of some prominent social activists and intellectuals is also planning to go to Lucknow to meet the chief minister.

12 labour leaders released on bail, announce that the movement will be intensified

Letters written to the Prime Minister, President and National Human Rights Commission informing them about the partisan attitude of the administration and the repression-oppression unleashed on workers

27 May.  The 12 labour leaders of the Gorakhpur workers movement who were arrested on May 20 have been released on bail today. After getting released Tapish Maindola of the Joint Workers Rights Struggle Front said that the agitation for the demands of workers would now be intensified further.

He said that at the behest of the factory owners, administration is threatening and intimidating the workers and it is trying to crush the labour movement through bullets, canes and jail but it would not succeed. The workers are fighting for their basic rights and now they would not backtrack. Tapish also said that the factory owners have imposed this fight on the workers by forcefully locking out the V.N. Dyers Mills and by firing on workers in Ankur Udyog Ltd. But the administration is speaking the language of the owners and terming us as anarchists and anti-development.

Meanwhile on behalf of the Joint Workers Rights Struggle Front, Prashant wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, President of India and the National Human Rights Commission to inform them about the partisan attitude of the Gorakhpur district administration and police. It is mentioned in the letter that the workers are not being allowed even to stage peaceful sit-in and demonstrations and are not being allowed to meet any official. The S.H.O of Chiluatal police station Gajendra Rai is visiting the workers’ homes personally to threaten and force them to go to the factory.

Shweta, a student of journalism in Banaras Hindu University who was arrested for supporting the labour movement, has also written a letter to the National Womens Commission to complain about the misbehaviour and threat and intimidation by the police.  After being released on bail five days after her arrest Shweta said that the S.H.O. of Chiluatal Gajendra Rai has threatened her of dire consequences and of destroying her career. After their arrest she and Susheela Devi, old mother of a worker, were threatened and intimidated even in the ladies police station.

It is to be noted that when the workers were going to meet the district magistrate on May 20 along with the five workers who were on fast, they were lathi-charged multiple times by the police and 25 workers were injured. The police had detained 73 workers, 59 of whom were released late in the night, but 14 labour leaders including Tapish Maindola and two women activists Shweta and Susheela Devi were sent to jail.  Each one of them was charged with three cases under different bailable and non-bailable sections.

In the meawhile the Joint Workers Rights Struggle Front has stated in a memorandum given to the principal secretary, labour today that even the basic labour laws are being violated in almost all the factories of Gorakhpur and the local labour officials are openly doing favour to the owners which is the root cause of the continuous labour unrest there. Hence a high level investigation team should be sent there and the condition of all the factories and the role of the local labour office must be investigated. Action should be taken against the officials of the labour department who conducted unilateral talks on May 19 with the owners of V.N. Dyers by keeping the workers out in a biased manner.

Meanwhile the campaign of exposing the industrialists-administration nexus and to gather popular support in favour of the workers’ demands continues through the street meetings in both the industrial areas of Gorakhpur, offices and main spots of the city and through public contact in the residential areas.

The campaign of the condemnation of the repression of the labour movement in Gorakhpur and putting pressure on Mayawati government also continues. Today the issue of repression of the workers of Gorakhpur was raised and solidarity was expressed with the struggling workers at the hunger strike going on in Mumbai in the leadership of Medha Patkar against the demolition of slums in Golibar area. Various activists in the leadership of social activist from Bengaluru Kavery Indira registered their protest with the Chief Minister of UP and other officials through phone and fax. Tomorrow various organisations in Kolakata will protest against the increasing repression of the workers in Uttar Pradesh by sending a memorandum addressed to UP CM Mayawati through the governor.

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Talks concluded unilaterally without informing the workers or their representatives

Talks between V N Dyers and administration illegal

·       Talks concluded unilaterally without informing the workers or their representatives

No discussion on the main demand of the workers of reinstating 18 dismissed workers

·       14 labour leaders including two women continue their fast-unto-death in jail

The fact finding team completes its investigation,

 prima facie administration’s role found to be negative

New Delhi, May 22. Citizens Front in support of Gorakhpur Worker's Movement has termed the talks held on yesterday evening between the owner of V N Dyers Vishnu Ajit Sariya, labour department and administration as illegal and against the law. According to the morcha, in this unilateral talks held on yesterday the representatives of workers were not included. It is clear from this that the Gorakhpur administration is acting in favour of the factory owners as the workers and their representatives were not even informed about these talks. These talks which were conducted without the representatives of workers is totally illegal and no discussion took place in it regarding the main demand of the worker, i.e. reinstating the 18 workers who were dismissed illegally.

The front stated that the owners and workers could hold talks but the owners, labour department and administration excluded the workers from it and took the decision of starting the factory on their own. Not only this, in these talks the owners and administration have issued false statements that it was because of the workers that the lock-out is effective since April 30. The fact of the matter is that the owners of V N Dyers had disconnected the electricity on April 10 itself and forcibly started lock out since then. From then onwards the workers have been giving memorandum to the administration and labour department for opening the locks. Despite this the administration is bending facts in favour of the owners.

The morcha has stated that this unilateral decision is not acceptable to any of the workers. All the workers and the Sanyukt Mazdoor Adhikar Sangharsh Morcha want that the factory should reopen but unless the 18 dismissed workers are taken back to work, no worker would go to work. Even today, except for a few employees of the office staff, no worker went to factory for work.

In the meanwhile all the 14 arrested labour leaders have started fast-unto-death in the jail. It is noteworthy that Shweta and Susheela Devi were also on fast due to which their condition worsened. Despite this, they have started fast-unto-death in the jail itself. Yesterday despite getting bail in two cases they did not get bail in a third case filed by police and they were sent to jail along with 12 other labour leaders. All the labour leaders have been slapped with three false charges each.

The workers on the other hand have speeded up the process of meeting and propaganda at the factory gates and workers’ settlements. In order to inform the citizens and students-youths-employees about the arbitrariness of administration and about the legitimate demands of the workers, distribution of pamphlets has been started from today onwards. Expanding this campaign, huge public contact program would be initiated from tomorrow. The morcha also criticized strongly the attempt by police at the behest of factory owners to put pressure on the house owners to remove the workers from their houses.

In another development, after the nationwide discussion of the May 3 firing incident at Ankut Udyog Ltd and after getting information from various sources related to workers’ movement, a fact finding team of media workers and social activists reached Gorakhpur on May 19.

During its three day stay this team met S.P. City,Commissioner, D.L.C. , concerned police officers, various labour leaders, intellectuals, journalists, democratic right activists and the workers of Ankur Udyog Ltd. and V N Dyers and held detailed discussion about the entire episode. The investigation has been completed by the team and the concerned facts and documents have been gathered. The members of the investigation team is prima facie of the opinion that in the incident which took place in Ankut Udyog and in the workers’ movement of the area the administration’s role has been negative and anti-movement. The fact finding team would prepare and publish its detailed report in next few days.

 
Citizens Front in support of Gorakhpur Worker's Movement

 Contacts: 9936650658 (Katyayani); 9910462009 (Satyam); 8447011935  (Sandeep)

Email: satyamvarma@gmail.com, sandeep.samwad@gmail.con

Gorakhpur: 12 labour leaders sent to jail on false charges

Maya’s reign turned into reign of terror: Police chase out labourers throughout the day

The labour leaders start fast-unto-death in jail

New Delhi, 21 May. Today police and administration created a new record of pro-factory owner misrule. But despite the police repression, workers continued their satyagrah. 

When the workers who were sitting on hunger strike since 16 May were proceeding towards district collector’s office for giving a memorandum regarding the demands of arresting the culprit of the incident of firing on 3^rd May etc,  police brutally lathi-charged on them and took 73 workers into custody. Most of them were released by late night but a B. H. U. Student Shweta, woman worker Susheela Devi and 12 others were arrested. The police took away labour leader Tapish Maindola from some other place and was refusing to show his arrest till today morning. Later in the afternoon Tapish was suddenly presented before the court. The Police have registered a case of suicide under section 309 against all the labour leaders. It is ridiculous because most of the arrested leaders were not among those who sat on the fast. Shweta and Susheela Devi whose health had worsened after five days of hunger strike have been later released on bail. Rest 12 workers have been sent to jail. The labour leaders have started fast-unto-death in the jail itself.

On the other hand, hundreds of workers were proceeding towards the office of district collector even today according to a pre announced program, but police did not allow them to gather by charging them with lathis at several places. After that the workers tried to stage a dharna at Gandhi statue in Town Hall but the police did not let them reach even there.  For hours, the office of district collector had turned into a cantonment and the police personnel chased out the workers by searching in the neighbouring areas.  As soon as police was finding four to five people looking like workers, they were dispersed through lathi-charge.

Despite the repression which continued throughout the day, the workers are determined to carry on their Satyagrah. By the evening , hundreds of workers again gathered at the gate of the locked out factories of V.N.  Dyers at the same place where the fast-unto-death was stopped by police through arrest. Large number of workers from different factories are sitting on dharna in support of the labour leaders  on hunger strike in  jail.

Meanwhile the owners of the V.N. Dyers factory have taken a more stubborn approach and have put up a notice on the factory gate stating that the workers who do not join work from tomorrow shall be dismissed and new recruitments shall take place.

The United Workers' Rights Struggle Front has strongly condemned this step and said that the owners of the factory are doing such things only by the support of the labour department and the district administration.

On the other hand, the workers have sent a memorandum to Chief Minister Mayawati through the District Magistrate's office and have warned her to intervene immediately and do justice otherwise the labour unrest will spread even more. The main demands in the memorandum include immediate release of all 14 arrested leaders and false cases against them be withdrawn, Ashok Jalan, AnkurJalan, Pradeep Singh (History-sheeter of the Sahjanwa area) and others responsible for firing on workers on 3rd May in which about 20 workers were injured be arrested immediately and charged with relevant sections for attempt to murder and stern action be taken against them, strict action be taken against the officers responsible for the brutal attacks on workers on 9th May, a high-level judicial enquiry be ordered in the whole incident, adequate compensation be paid to the injured workers, suspended workers be taken back on work and the illegal lock out of the factories be lifted immediately so that they become operational.

For, 

Citizens Front in support of Gorakhpur Worker's Movement

Contacts: 9936650658 (Katyayani); 9910462009 (Satyam); 8447011935  (Sandeep) Email: 

satyamvarma@gmail.com, sandeep.samwad@gmail.com  www.workerscharter.in

Workers lathi charged in Gorakhpur, 25 workers badly injured, 73 workers arrested

Workers lathi charged in Gorakhpur, 25 workers badly injured, 73 workers arrested along with their leader Tapish whose whereabouts are still unknown

The administration is blatantly supporting the factory owners – has not shown any inclination to dialogue, administration adamant on suppressing the movement and disbanding the striking activists

An independent team of journalists and social workers reaches Gorakhpur to carry out an investigation

Gorakhpur, 20 May. The Workers' Satyagraha which started in Gorakhpur from May 16 was dealt with lathi charge today by a heavy police force in the presence of the DIG. Police arrested 73 workers and one of their leaders Tapish Maindola but there is still no official word about their arrest. Tapish has been arrested on the basis of a concocted FIR lodged by factory owner Ashok Jalan in relation to the incident of firing by his hired goons in which 19 workers were injured. Serious charges under different sections of IPC have been pressed on him including attempt to murder, rioteering etc. The administration is unabashedly siding with the factory owners. The workers had submitted a complaint to the police naming the factory owner Ashok Jalan, history-sheeter Pradeep Singh and others as responsible for the incident of firing but the police have taken no action on their complaint instead they have arrested workers' leader Tapish Maindola on the false FIR of the factory owner Ashok Jalan. Ashok Jalan had stated that Tapish and other workers themselves were involved in the firing on the workers, however, news reports from media clearly say that the firing was done from inside the factory, and it was a well planned attack. The workers' union has expressed concern for the life of their leader Tapish.

In the meanwhile 50 workers who had gone to protest against the arrest of workers at the DM office were heavily lathi charged and 25 workers sustained injuries.

 In the afternoon today about 500 workers taking part in a peaceful demonstration for their legal rights were detained near Gorakhnath Temple here. All 500 workers had tied themselves with a long rope and they sat at the same spot in protest where a heavy police force in the leadership of the DIG had stopped them. According to latest updates, the police resorted to  lathi charge and dispersed the workers arresting 73 of them. But the police did not officially record the arrest of 30 of them and their leader Tapsih. Despite this about 250 workers are still sitting on a dharna at the townhall near Gandhi statue.



It is noteworthy that Tapish was arrested from some other place as he was not a part of the procession. He has been taken to some undisclosed location and the workers fear for his life and safety. It should be known that some police and administrative officials had been continuously warning the workers' leaders of 'dire consequences'. They had been particularly targeting Tapish, Pramod Kumar and Prashant and branding them as 'moists-terrorists'. Even two years ago these leaders had been dealt brutal physical attack by the administration and it is said that the police were planning to kill them in false encounters. However they had to retreat after severe condemnation from all over the country gained momentum and the officers came under huge public pressure. But the administration seems hell-bent on suppressing this movement this time. Under such circumstances there is clear danger to the life and security of Tapish.



The hunger strike was initiated since the morning of 16th May on the demands of the arrest of the accused of the firing incident on 3rd May, action against the guilty officers, judicial enquiry of firing and repression, compensation to the injured workers and ending the lock out in the two factories of V.N. Dyers and reinstatement of all the 18 dismissed workers. Suheela Devi, mother of a worker, three workers - Bindweshwar Rai, Susheel Srivastava and Mahesh Pathak and women activist Shweta are sitting on hunger strike and among them the condition of Susheela, Shweta and Mahesh Pathak has worsened. On the night of 18 May the administration forcibly took away Mahesh Pathak and admitted him to the district hospital but he continued his fast even there and on the morning of 19thMay he again came back and joined the hunger strike.  

Hundreds of workers of the area also have been present day and night on the spot. Meanwhile the administration is acting in favour of the factory owners and is hell bent on ending the hunger strike and dharna and is not paying any attention to the demands of workers. Two rounds of unsuccessful talks were held on the first day in which the owners were adamant on not taking back the dismissed workers. After that the administration did not make any attempt for dialogue. Even last night, police force in the leadership of the top officials of police and administration was prepared to remove the workers from the spot. Sensing this, huge number of workers sitting on dharna tied each other through big ropes. When police saw that the workers could not be removed from the spot without the use of heavy force, it withdrew.

The administration and owners had to relent in face of the massive public pressure and resolute struggle of the workers after the 3 May firing and brutal police repression of workers  in Gorakhpur, and the workers achieved a partial victory. All the 18 workers of Ankur Udyog who were dismissed after they went to participate in the May Day rally in Delhi were taken back and the factory started from May 11.  But the owners of VN Dyers Ltd. are  adamant on their demands. Even the administration was making no attempt to call the owners for talks. They wanted to break the movement by tiring out the workers. But the workers are ready to fight it out.

The workers staged a bicycle rally in the Gorakhpur city today to gather popular support in favour of the workers’ agitation. Even the workers of GIDA industrial area staged a demonstration in their area in support of the agitation. The workers of various factories of Bargadwa are planning to stage a huge demonstration.

Meanwhile an investigation team of journalists and social activists reached Gorakhpur to investigate the incident of firing on workers, their repression and the accusations of violation of labour laws. The members of the investigation team also went to the spot and talked to the workers.

The strong condemnation of the continued repressive attitude of administration towards the workers agitation going on for more than two weeks and its neglect by Uttar Pradesh government is building momentum once again.

We will try to keep you updated of any new developments. Please call on these numbers and ask the Gorakhpur officials to stop the repression immediately and listen to workers' demands:

Div. Commissioner, Gkp, Mr K. Ravindra Nair: 09454400207

District Masgistrate, AK Shukla: 09454417544

DIG: 09454417500

City Magistrate, JK Singh: 09454416213

Commissioner                                    

Office of the Commissioner

Collectrate, Gorakhpur - 273001

0551 - 2338817 (Fax)

Gorakhpur (0551)      

Divisional Commissioner

2333076/2335238 (off)

2336022 (Res)

2338817 (Fax) 

9454417500

District Magistrate                              

Office of the District Magistrate

Collectrate, Gorakhpur - 273001

0551 - 2334569 (Fax)

City Magistrate: J.K. Singh

9454416213

Dy Inspector General of Police         

Cantt., Gorakhpur:
09454400207

0551 - 2201187 / 2333442

DLC, S.P. Shukla 

Labour Office, Civil Lines, Gorakhpur-273001

09453043030

Governor, BL Joshi

Raj Bhavan, Lucknow-226001

0522-2220331, 2236992, 2220494
Fax: 0522-2223892

Special Secretary to Governor: 0522-2236113

Km. Mayawati,

Chief Minister

Fifth Floor, Secretariat Annexe

Lucknow-226001

0522 - 2235733, 2239234 (Fax)

0522 - 2236181, 2239296, 2215501 (Office)

0522 - 2236838 2236985 (Res)

Shri Badshah Singh :                         

Labour Minister,  Department of Labour

Secretariat , Lucknow

0522 - 2238925 (Fax)

Deepak Kumar Singh
Home Secretary
09454405003

Principal Secretary, Labour               

Department of Labour

Secretariat, Lucknow - 226001

0522 - 2237831 (Fax)

Anand Kumar Singh
joint secretary
9415159087

Gorakhpur (0551)      

Divisional Commissioner
09454417500       

2333076, 2335238 (off)

2336022 (Res)

Workers' Struggle Continues in Gorakhpur

Relay Hunger Strike against lockout in two factories and dismissal of 18 workers continues at the Town Hall

Administration and owners under pressure but adamant, workers also ready for a long drawn fight

Gorakhpur, 13th of May. The administration and owners had to relent in face of the massive public pressure and resolute stuggle of the workers after the 3 May firing and brutal police repression of workers  in Gorakhpur, and the workers achieved a partial victory. All the 18 workers of Ankur Udyog who were dismissed after they went to participate in the May Day rally in Delhi have been taken back and the factory started from May 11.  But the owners are adamant on the demand to end the illegal lock-out in two factories of VN Dyers Ltd. in Bargadwa area and reinstatement of the 18 dismissed workers from these two mills. Even the administration has made no attempt to call the owners for talks. Clearly, they want to break the movement by tiring out the workers. But the workers are also ready to fight it out. Due to the feeling of solidarity developed over two years among the workers of Bargadwa, workers from different factories are participating in the relay hunger strike.

The 'workers satyagraha' launched on 9 May was postponed after some of the demands were met, but the relay hunger strike is continuing since then. The demands include arrest of the accused of the firing, action against the guilty officials, judicial inquiry into the firing and repression, compensation to the workers and ending the lockout in VN Dyers and revocation of all dismissed workers. On two occasions the police arrested 5 and 12 workers sitting on hunger strike but released them after the workers protested. 

Meanwhile, various democratic organisations and trade unions of Gorakhpur are preparing for a joint demonstration in support of the workers' movement. Workers of several factories of the the GIDA industrial area have also announced their support to the movement. Preparations have been made to file a petition in the Allahabad High Court and Gorakhpur court to demand an inquiry.

In the meantime, condemnation of the repression of workers of Gorakhpur and support for their movement continues from all over the country.

Resolute struggle of workers and public pressure ensure a partial victory for labour movement in Gorakhpur

All 18 dismissed workers from Ankur Udyog taken back, factory will start from tomorrow
Agitation will continue to demand arrest of main accused of the firing, compensation to injured workers from government, revoke false cases and order a judicial inquiry
Second phase of 'Workers Satyagraha' will be launched if demands are not met

The resolute struggle of workers of Gorakhpur in the face of brutal repression by the police and administration and widespread condemnation and public pressure forced the administration and the factory owners on the back foot and ensured a partial victory for the workers agitation in Gorakhpur. The workers were agitating since May 3 when 19 workers were injured in firing by criminals hired by a factory owner.
           The administration came under pressure after severe condemnation from all quarters of lathi charge on workers going for peaceful 'workers satyagraha' to the commissioner's office, arrests and beatings and misbehaviour with women workers and hundreds of workers starting a hunger strike at the town hall. The officials released all the detained leaders and workers by late evening yesterday and brought the factory owners for talks. The dharna was suspended last night after the owners agreed on some demands and formal talks were decided to be held today. A group of 25 workers had symbolically continued the hunger strike which was to be rejoined by a large number of workers if the talks failed.
           The owners agreed to take back all the 18 workers dismissed from Ankur Udyog and start the factory from tomorrow in talks held today in presence of the deputy labour commissioner. However the stalemate continued on the issue of the 18 workers dismissed from two factories of VN Dyers ltd.
           The Joint Workers Rights Struggle Front spearheading the agitation has said that the agitation will continue on the demands to arrest the main accused of the firing and action against the officials who helped them, compensation from the government to the workers, revocation of all false cases on workers and a judicial inquiry into the incidents of firing as well as the brutal repression unleashed on 9 May. A second phase of 'Workers Satyagraha' will be launched if the demands are not met soon.
         The brutal repression of the workers yesterday has attracted widespread condemnation from national and international forums and individuals. Eminent jurists, intellectuals, social activists and people associated with working class movements from all over the country expressed their anger to Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati through hundreds of faxes, emails, phone calls and memorandums and have demanded that the cycle of repression be stooped immediately, judicial probe be ordered into the incident, the demands of the workers be fulfilled and quick action be taken against the culprits. PUCL and PUDR have announced to send their enquiry teams to Gorakhpur and some independent investigative teams comprising senior journalists and social activists shall soon leave for Gorakhpur to gather facts.
           This small victory against the oppression of the nexus of factory-owners-administration-communal forces has become possible due to huge public outrage and public pressure but the workers of Gorakhpur have still a long battle to fight and they need the support of all justice loving people and social activists. The workers have obtained some relief from repression but their basic demands have still not been fulfilled. No factory in the region implements any of the labour laws. The workers are deprived even of basic facilities like minimum wage, ESI, PF, Job card and are forced into long hours of overtime. The labour department keeps its eyes shut against such oppression and lawlessness. Unless these basic demands of the workers are addressed their resentment will keep coming to the surface in form of such movements from time to time.
           Joint Workers' Rights Struggle Front has warned that if the factory owners try to renege on their words and fail to give the workers their constitutional rights as before or if they try to victimise worker's leaders then they should be ready to face the consequences.
The front expressed gratitude to the jurists, journalists, intellectuals and social activists for their timely help and has appealed to all to support the workers of Gorakhpur in their struggle for justice.

For,

Citizen's Front in Support of Gorakhpur Worker's Movement

Contacts: 9936650658 (Katyayani), 9910462009 (Satyam), 8447011935 (Sandeep)

E-mail: satyamvarma@gmail.com, sandeep.samwad@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHS

district administration today attacked the peaceful demonstration of workers in Gorakhpur, leaders arrested

The district administration today attacked the peaceful demonstration of workers in Gorakhpur who were proceeding to the Divisional Commissioner's office to start a Mazdoor Satyagrah to demand justice in the case of firing on workers injuring 19 workers and a girl student.

Around 800 workers, including a number of women workers, had assembled in the FCI ground near the Bargadwa industrial area in Gorakhpur for the program announced and intimated to the officials 4 days before. As soon as they tried to proceed they were stopped by lathi (cane) wielding policemen and two of their leaders Prashant and Shweta were arrested. When the procession went ahead the police charged them with lathis and water cannons. 

The workers are trying to regroup after every attack and are slowly but resolutely proceeding towards the commissioner's office. The workers have decided to stage a sit-in at the commissioner's office till their demands are met. The situation is tense and the adamant attitude of the officials may may lead to further violence from the administration.

We will try to keep you updated of any new developments. Please call on these numbers and ask the Gorakhpur officials to stop the repression immediately and listen to workers' demands:

Div. Commissioner, Gkp, Mr K. Ravindra Nair: 09454400207

District Masgistrate, AK Shukla: 09454417544

DIG: 09454417500

City Magistrate, JK Singh: 09454416213

Widespread condemnation of firing on workers in Gorakhpur and the repressive attitude of district administration: Jurists, intellectuals, social activists and trade union leaders demand immediate intervention by the Chief Minister

Press Release

New Delhi, 7 May — Eminent jurists, intellectuals, social activists, human rights advocates and trade union leaders today expressed shock that no action has been taken on the accused of the firing on workers in Gorakhpur on May 3 and the administration is bent upon targeting the workers and labour leaders instead. They have appealed to the Chief Minister of UP, Mayawati to intervene and ensure justice to workers. It may be recalled that 19 workers were injured in the incident when criminal hired by a factory owner fired on their demonstration, one of the workers is still in a serious condition.

            The issue was also raise in the national seminar on state repression which began here and it was announced that a joint fact-finding team of PUCL and other organisations will be sent to Gorakhpur as soon as possible.

            The petition sent to the UP CM has four demands including instituting a judicial inquiry into the incident. The main signatories on the petition include:  Justice Rajinder Sachar, Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, national president of PUCL Dr Prabhakar Sinha, its national general secretary Pushkar Raj, well-known filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, famous Hindi poet and executive editor of Public Agenda Mangalesh Dabral, editor of Samayantar Pankaj Bisht, poet Pankaj Singh, Ram Puniyani of All India Secular Forum, ex-Vice Chancellor of Lucknow University Dr. Rooprekha Verma, President of Ludhiana Bar Association Ashok Mittal, Kuldeep Singh and Narinder Singh of Democratic Lawyers Association Punjab, Harvilas Singh of MCPI Punjab, Prof Ish Misha and Prof PK Vijayan of Delhi University, Prof BR Bapuji and Dr Shubhdeep of Hyderabad University, historian from Kolkata Devabrata Bannerjee, Prof Gurbhagwan Gill of Punjabi University, Bhupinder Singh of CTU Workers Union, Chandigarh, Ranjeet Singh of Chandigarh Sub-ordinate Serviecs Employees Federation, Khushwinder Singh of AICTU, Punjab, Neeraj Jain of Lokayat, Pune, President and Gen Sec of PUCL, UP, Chitranjan Singh and Vandana Mishra, Subhash Gatade of New Socialist Initiative, Bhasha Singh of Jan Sanskriti Manch, Delhi, Prof. YK Ranjan of national Campaign Against Corruption, Delhi secretary of CPIML-New Democracy, Com. Aparna and retd. IPS officer SR Drapuri.

        The incident of firing on workers who had just returned after taking part in a rally to commemorate 125 years of the May Day was also condemned in several other countries. Elliot Eisenberg and Einde O'Callaghan of Die Linke (Left Party) of Germany, Debbie Brennen of Radical Women, Australia and Anne Slater of Radical Women, USA, Dr Herbert Pimlott of Wilfred Laurier University Faculty Association, Christine Tickner of UK, Eric Lee, editor of Labour Start, Jeevin Dran of Socialist Party of Malaysia, Tufail Abbas of Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaz have termed this as a shameful incident for Indian democracy.

            Hundreds of peoples from all over the country have signed the petition including senior Hindi novelist Kamtanath, Ajay Singh, editor of 'Kathakram' IG Shailendra Sagar, Delhi based journalists Gaurav Solanki, Bhupen Singh, Abhishek Srivastav, Suyash Suprabh, Pranav Priyadarshi, Swatantra Mishra, president of Sajhi Duniya Mohini Maanglik, chairperson of Anurag Trust and veteran social activist of Lucjnow, Kamla Pandey, Samuel John of Peoples Theatre Chandigarh, senior advocate of Allahabad High Court KK Rai, social activist from Mumbai, Chandrashekharan Nair, Rajwinder of Karkhana Mazdoor Union, Ludhiana, Lakhwinder Singh of Textile Workers Union, Punjab, Shivani Kaul of Stree Mukti League, Kavita of Stree Mazdoor Sangathan, Ramashankar of Jagrook Nagrik Manch Allahabad, Rajeev Yadav and Shahnawaz Alam of UP PUCL and large number of civil rights activists from Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar.

            Meanwhile, various organisations in Lucknow and Gorakhpur are coming together to launch a broad based mass movement against the rising repression in Uttar Pradesh. Some organisations in Delhi and Punjab are also planning to send fact-finding teams to Gorakhpur.

         The petition to the Chief Minister says that the incidents after the firing have completely exposed the politician-businessman-administration nexus in the region. The petition demands:

-         the criminals who fired upon the unarmed workers and the factory owner who hired them be arrested immediately and tried; 

-         judicial inquiry should be instituted on this entire episode including the on the complicity of the local administration and police and the guilty officials be punished; 

-         all the false cases against the workers be revoked immediately;

-       suspension of all 18 workers be revoked and the illegal lockout by the two factory owners be ended.

For,

Citizens Front in Support of Gorakhpur Workers Movement

Contact: 9936650658 (Katyayani); 9910462009 (Satyam); 8447011935 (Sandeep Sharma)

Email: satyamvarma@gmail.com / sandeep.samwad@gmail.com