6 protestors, 2 cops injured; police vehicle damaged
Avtar Bhat
KATHUA, May 8: Several protestors and cops were injured in clashes and subsequent cane charge, when workers of Chenab Textile Mills Kathua turned violent over non-payment of full wages by the management of the Mill here today.
A large number of workers came out of CTM and held protests against the failure of the management to pay full wages to them, officials said.
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The mob of workers turned violent and broke furniture, windows and other material and ransacked offices at the mill complex, they said. The management and other officials of the mill fled from their offices as mob turned violent.
Later they came on the Jammu -Pathankot National Highway and blocked it amid protests and sloganeering. Police asked them to disperse to allow the traffic but workers turned violent and clashed with police also. The frenzied mob resorted to stone pelting and damaged a police van. To disperse, the mob police used canecharge in which five to six workers received minor injuries while two cops were also injured in stone pelting by mob.
Sources said trouble started this morning when the workers of CTM visited the Company’s Office and demanded wages as usual which were being paid to them on 8th of every month. After filling up the forms and doing other formalities required in this regard, the workers demanded that their full wages be deposited in their account. However, the management refused saying that they can’t pay full wages and they will be paid one third or one fourth of their wages as mill remained closed for a month, sources added.
This resulted into a verbal duel between management and the workers as the management was adamant on its point but the workers got agitated and they ransacked the office, damaged furniture, windows and other gadgets, sources said.
As situation went out of control the management of CTM called police for help to control the situation. A police party led by incharge Police Post Hatli, J P Singh was first to reach the spot which was followed by another police team led by Additional SP Kathua, Ramnish Gupta. The police tried to pacify the agitating workers who by then had come to National Highway and blocked it.
The workers not paying any heed to the Additional SP, continued protest and sloganeering on NH against the CTM management demanding release of their full wages. They also demanded that they be sent to the home States without any delay as their families are in great desperation.
The protestors also resorted to stone pelting on the police damaging a police vehicle and injuring two cops also. To quell the mob which included men and women, police resorted to canecharge on the protestors in which six factory workers got injured.
As situation turned critical, SSP Kathua, Shailendra Kumar Mishra reached the spot with additional reinforcement and he pacified the protesting workers and informed them that he will take up their issue with management but first they should resort the order.
The SSP later took up the issue with Executive President, CTM , Omesh Gupta and its other senior officers regarding the payment of wages to workers. He urged the management to clear its stand on the issue, he added.
CTM Executive president, Omesh Gupta informed the SSP that they will take up the issue with higher ups in the company and whatever decision they will take, the management will act accordingly.
The SSP conveyed the same to the workers and asked them to maintain law and order as police will not allow breach of peace at any cost. He warned stern action against those who will resort to violence. The workers later dispersed but were adamant on their demand that they should be paid the wages in full for the entire month and the management should also make arrangements to send them to their respective States as the lockdown will continue for more time.
Later Executive President of CTM, Omesh Gupta told Excelsior that management of the mill has provided all facilities to the workers including accommodation, water and electricity in their accommodations inside the mill.
He said the Mill was closed first for 10 days due to lockdown on March 22. But the management paid the payment in full for 10 days of March to the workers when the mill remained closed. He said the mill remained closed up to April 20 also as lockdown continued and administration gave them permission to run the mill partially from April 21 with the help of inside workforce.
“We started work with 28 to 30 percent manpower and the items manufactured in the mill since then are stocked there due to closure of market and transport. Still we released 50 percent wages to all the workers who remained idle from April 1 to April 20”, he added.
Besides the full wages were released to those workers who during the lockdown period were engaged on essential services inside the mill, he said, adding that those who did not work were given 50 percent of their basic wages. But the employees demanded wages in full.
Gupta said the workers are in desperation as they wanted to go back to their homes but it is not possible as transport is not plying. He alleged that the workers resorted to violence in the morning demanding full wages and attacked the staff colony. He added they were misled by some of the workers and created nuisance as they don’t want to work and were adamant to go back to their home States.
He said that the management told the workers that in case Supreme Court gives its verdict for giving full wages to the workers the management will release the balance payment.
“We had run the mill for workers who were idle for over one month with the intention that they will earn their living but when they resorted to violence we closed the mill again, Gupta added.
SSP Kathua, Shalendra Kumar Mishra said that situation has been brought under control. He said three cops including a police officer were injured in the mob attack. He said the main reason behind the workers unrest was payment of half wages and their desire to go to their home States. The workers were not satisfied with meagre wages of last 10 days paid to them. He said the situation has been brought under control and the workers will continue in the mill and one third of mill will function as decided earlier.
He said police has registered a case FIR No 121/2020 U/S 307/336/427/332/353/188/269/270/147 IPC in this connection.
The workers while criticising the management said that they were not allowed to leave for their home States after the lockdown was announced and were assured that they will be paid wages in full for this period. They also criticised the role of district administration which they alleged turned a deaf ear to their pleas in this regard earlier.
The protesting workers said when the labourers of J&K were brought here from other States why not the arrangements were made for the CTM workers and other labours of outside to return to their home States.
The workers alleged that they were given only Rs 2,000 as monthly wage.
“Neither the management is paying us full wages nor they are allowing us to go back to our homes in various States,” agitated workers added.
They said Rs 500 deposited in their accounts last month for ration have also been deducted by the company this time, though we were told that wages will be paid in full.
It may be recalled that out of 12 units of CTM, the management of the mill had started the work in four units on April 21 after seeking permission from the district administration. However, after today’s violence the mill has been closed till further orders.
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