Press Statement of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Uttar Pradesh
Workers in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other parts of the country have been carrying out a militant struggle for wage increase and better working conditions. The repression of their peaceful struggle and leaders by the state government and police shows the real nature of the state and its machinery. This is not democracy but the rule of capitalist class. This state will have to changed.
In last two weeks tens of thousands of workers have struck work to demand strict 8 hour working day, respectable wages, abolition of compulsory over time and overtime payment at double the wages. The struggles which began in Noida, Manesar, Faridabad and Gurugram have quickly spread to many more industrial areas of UP, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.
Whether it is the farmers of our country or workers working as permanent workers or on contract basis, their struggles are in defense of their livelihood and for a life worthy of human beings of 21st century. Their struggle is against the repression unleashed by Central government and various state governments. Their struggle is basically against the capitalist ruling class which is resorting to any measures to exploit both workers and farmers. It is hence very pertinent that they support each other’s struggles.
It can be said with certainty that there is almost no farmer family whose family members do not classify as “workers”. It is hence but natural that farmers and workers are allies in their fight against exploiting capitalist class.
The press statement issued by Samyukt Kisan Morcha is given below.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Uttar Pradesh
Press Statement in Support of Workers’ Movements in NCR and Other Areas of the State, and Against Police Repression on Them
In Noida, Greater Noida and industrial establishments in other parts of the state and the country, workers have been carrying out a militant struggle for the past few days demanding wage increases and better working conditions. The police of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have resorted to indiscriminate lathi-charge and fired tear gas shells to break their peaceful struggle. Dozens of workers have been injured in this police repression and more than 360 have been arrested by implicating them in false cases. Among those arrested are leaders of Inquilabi Mazdoor Kendra, Shyamveer, Harish and Raju, Ajit and Pintu Yadav of Belsonica Mazdoor Union, Akash of Munjal Showa, among others. Serious charges such as vandalism and arson have been imposed on all of them in relation to the events of April 9. Apart from these, in Noida, activists of Bigul Mazdoor Dasta, Rupesh, Aakriti, Srishti and Manisha have also been arrested. CITU leaders Jai Bhagwan, Rupesh Verma, Vinod along with several other labour leaders have been placed under house arrest and issued notices accusing them of delivering provocative speeches on Facebook. Most of the arrested persons have been sent directly to jail without being produced before the court.
The Lucknow police have also detained poet Katyayani, journalist Satyam Verma and former Amar Ujala editor Sanjay Srivastava. Not only this, two lawyers who had gone to seek the release of those arrested have also been arrested. According to newspaper reports, more than 360 workers, leaders and activists of labour unions and their supporters have been arrested so far. The government is conspiring to label some arrested labour leaders as ‘Naxalites’ and ‘terrorists’ and keep them in jail for a long time under UAPA provisions. Such conspiracies of the Uttar Pradesh government reflect its fascist tendencies.
It may be underlined that all these workers are migrant labour from villages where state of unemployment is very grave.
The Uttar Pradesh state unit of Samyukt Kisan Morcha strongly condemns all repressive actions being carried out by the state government and its police to suppress the workers’ movement. At the same time, expressing our support for the struggle of workers, we demand from the state government that –
• All arrested workers and their leaders and activists be released immediately and unconditionally;
• All false cases imposed on them be withdrawn;
• Police repression on workers be stopped;
• Workers’ demands including wage increase and a minimum of ₹26,000 per month be fulfilled;
• A judicial inquiry be conducted into the violence and police repression of April 9 and strict action be taken against the guilty police personnel and factory managements.
Issued by:
State Committee, Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Uttar Pradesh