Tea Workers Protest Against CAA in Assam

The Assam Sangrami Tea Workers Union (ASTWU) called for the repeal of the CAA and organised a protest meeting in Guwahati on 20 March.

The AICCTU state joint secretary Pankaj Kumar Das and president Jiten Tati led the protest rally which was attended by Union's State President Vivek Das, RYA state president Kunti Tanty, AICCTU State President Biren Kalita, AISA state president Subrat Talukdar and CPIML Central Committee Member Balindra Saikia.

The speakers said that the governments of Himanta Biswa Sharma in the state and Narendra Modi in the centre have failed to deliver promises for the tea workers in the state. The BJP government promised to pay the daily wage of Rs 351.55 to tea workers in the 2014 elections. But in reality, instead of solving the problems of tea workers, the BJP sold the plantations of the Assam Tea Corporation to unqualified owners at cheap rates. The workers lives and livelihoods are in dire straits. Himanta Biswa Sharma government is depriving the tribal tea workers of their land rights. The meeting also decided to conduct a campaign against the BJP for betraying the tea workers.

The rally demanded fixing the minimum daily wage at Rs. 550 for tea workers, granting land rights to tea workers, reopening group hospitals, and taking action against plantation authorities violating the Labour rights. Protesters also demanded to provide regular salaries in tea plantations and debt waiver as well as ensuring PF and gratuity for all. The Union urged the tea workers and tribals of the state to defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.