Students For Society (SFS) condemns the recent
barbaric event of lathi-charge on protesting Maruti Suzuki workers at the hands
of police. On the evening of 19th may, Police started a brutal
lathi-charge and tear gas and
water cannons were unleashed mercilessly on the protestors, which included a
large no. of women, children and old men, while they were protesting before
Haryana Industrial Minister House in Kaithal. Not only this, while people were
still in shock another lathi charge was again done. Hundreds were injured and
were even denied medical aid at civil hospital.
Since the
unfortunate event at Maruti Suzuki plant (at Manesar) last year, repression on
the workers has continued ever after. The workers, struggling for their demand
for release of the imprisoned workers and reinstatement of suspended and fired
workers, have continuously suffered repression at the hands of the State. Around
150 workers are already locked in Gurgaon jail and now 111 more workers have
been arrested on false grounds and sent to Kaithal jail.
SFS condemns this fascist character of the State which
is intolerant to the toiling masses and questions its uncompromising ‘love’
towards the foreign corporates. We demand that the false cases slapped on the
workers be withdrawn and the workers be released immediately. We also demand
that the workers should be reinstated and the labor laws to be strictly
established in the factory.
A press conference was held at Chandigarh on 21st
may and here is the press release by Lokayat:
OPPOSE repression on Maruti Suzuki Worker Movement
Lokayat, a city based group for people’s movement
solidarity on Tuesday flayed the Haryana government for mindlessly repressing
workers of the Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Union in Kaithal.
In press conference
held at Chandigarh press club and was addressed by Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Union
leaders. Family members of workers, advocate RS Hooda who is pursuing the cases
of Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Union in Gurgaon and Chandigarh based lawyer of
Punjab Haryana High Court RS Bains.
At 11:30 pm on 18th
may, 96 workers and activists were arrested who have been sitting on a peaceful
dharna at the mini secretariat, Kaithal from 24th march, 2013,
demanding release of 147 workers in Gurgaon jail and reinstatement of the
workers-both permanent and contract. On the morning of 19th may, 4 more
workers were arrested from their homes in villages nearby. To harass the
protestor and to create difficulty in getting out on bail, police registered 3
false FIR under various sections 147,149,188,283,341,506,511,447 of IPC. All
were sent to Kaithal jail.
At 6:30 pm on 19th
may, police force started a brutal lathi charge and tear gas and water cannons
were unleashed mercilessly on the protestors, which included in large majority,
women, children and old men while they were protesting before Haryana industrial
minister house in Kaithal. Hundreds were seriously injured and admitted to the
hospital. The police came with a second round of lathi charge when people were
still in state of shock. The injured workers and their family members from Kaithal
were also present and shared their horrific stories.
11 workers and
activists were arrested on completely fabricated charges of serious nature.
These include Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Union Leaders, Trade Union Leader,
Municipal Council of Kaithal City. They have been falsely charged under
sections 148,149,188,283,332,353,186,341,307(attempt to murder, non-bailable
section) of the IPC, section 3 of prevention to damage to public property act
and section 25 of arms act. So 111 more workers and activists, who have
continued with the movement even after repression since 18 july 2012 have now
been arrested registering 4 FIR against agitating workers, taking the total of
arrested workers and activists to 258, along with 66 non-bailable arrest
warrants.
The Haryana government
on the eve of this protest at Kaithal, had already imposed IPC section 144 in
the town. But there were two other large demonstrations in Kaithal today-was
addressed by the Haryana industries minister and another by leaders of Haryana Janhit
congress. So, the imposition of Section 144 IPC was clearly aimed at denying
the Maruti Suzuki workers and their families their democratic right to peaceful
protest.
While addressing the
media persons, advocate Hooda said that state government is portraying the
entire trade union movement as a movement of a group of criminals. The advocate
also said that it is a very wrong trend the way bouncers are being hired and
the criminal tactics are being used against the trade union movement.
The Lokayat demanded
the false cases against union leaders and workers should be withdrawn
immediately and the workers should be released. All the workers should be reinstated
in Maruti factory and contract worker system should be abolished.
Released by Lokayat,
Chandigarh on 21/5/2013
For further
information contact Arti : 9779110201