Jitender Kumar, a dalit sanitation worker contesting from Lado Sarai for MCD elections from CPI ML has received a show cause notice from his private employer asking him to explain why his job should not be terminated as he is contesting MCD polls. Rakshak the private contractor hired by JNU administration sent Jitender Kumar show cause notice yesterday i.e. 26th November. The show cause notice notes that Jitender's "Participation in political election not only creates hindrances in fulfilling duties, but also participation in Political/ MLA/ local municipality election is prohibited for contractual workers by the Code of Conduct. A worker can not work as election agent, polling agent and counting agent while on duty."
The entire show cause notice is full of lies that has been manufactured by the private company to show ground for his suspension and further victimisation. Jitender Kumar has been signing his duty roster and attending work regularly since his nomination. His participation in campaign and other election activities are happening post his duty.
Also, no law of the land prohibits contractual workers from participating in election process as voter, election agent or as candidates. By suspending him on Saturday, giving him just three day notice to reply and threatening to terminate his job only shows the extext to which JNU admin and Rakshak can go to deny a dalit contract sanitation worker his voice in democracy.
It is important to ask on what grounds has Rakshak sent the show cause notice? Is the private contractor colluding with JNU to harass, intimidate and silence a dalit contract worker from exercising his constitutional and democratic right i.e. to contest in elections?
JNU administration along with private contractors like Rakshak don't not pay contract workers i.e. mess, sanitation, garbage and others their salaries on time, keeping them pending for 4-5 months. They harass and punish workers with retrenchment when workers protest for bonus, salaries and other rights. Now in collusion both JNU admin and private contractor are threatening a sanitation worker who is fighting for the rights of other workers by raising their issues in the election campaign.
CPI ML will be approaching the State Election Commission against this casteist and blatant intimidation of Jitender Kumar. This act of Rakshak and JNU administration is a violation of constitutional and democratic rights of Jitender Kumar and also violation the principle of free and fair elections.
CPI ML condemns this act of intimidation and demands the agency to apologise to Jitender Kumar and withdraw the show cause notice.
