Unions protest police action on sacked Eveready workers

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, February 8

Various labour unions, political parties and social organisations have come out in support of agitating Eveready employees in the Integrated Industrial Estate at SIDCUL, Roshanabad, 15 km from Haridwar city.

The labour unions and representatives of political parties termed as ‘barbaric’ the police lathi charge on more than 100 striking employees yesterday.

Eveready management had removed 122 workers recently citing various reasons, including a wage dispute. The employees have been on an agitation near the company premises for the past two months.

The Hindu Jagran Manch, at a meeting, condemned the police action and said the employees along with their family members had been on a peaceful agitation in front of the office of District Magistrate but the police under the influence of factory owners removed them.

Dharamvir Saini of the Hindu Jagran Manch said exploitation of factory workers would not be tolerated any further.

Mazdoor Morcha divisional president of the BJP Chandra Kant Pandey accused the police of forcefully dragging women family members of the protesting employees. The office-bearers of the Ranipur division BJP protested at the Foundry gate of the public sector undertaking BHEL.

Demanding department action against the police personnel involved in the cane charge, Samajwadi Party state secretary Taufiq Ahmed said if SSP, Haridwar, Sweety Aggarwal did take action, they would start an agitation.

Meanwhile, the SSP denied that the police resorted to a cane charge on the protesting employees. She said the police had arrested protesters who were trying to take law in their hands.

“The district court had issued prohibitory orders in 500 metres periphery of the Eveready factory against dharnas, protests or march or use of loudspeakers. The factory manager had filed a case at SIDCUL police station stating that the protesters were hampering the company’s work and forcing other employees to boycott work. The police followed the court order and arrested the protesters trying to create problems,” said Sweety.