JAKS splinter group launches TMC union.... Hill TMC forms Chatra Parishad unit

EOIC, Kurseong, 17 October 2013: The Janmukti Asthai Karmachari Sangathan or JAKS, the casual employees’ wing of the GJM, has suffered a huge blow with a splinter group forming a new union named ‘Darjeeling Himalayan Workers Union’. 

The DHWU is affiliated to INTTCU, the TMC employees’ union. The development shows the Trinamool Congress has strengthened its presence in the hills causing more headaches for the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. 

It is learnt that a section of casual workers from the erstwhile DGHC, who had joined the JAKS seeking a resolution to their problem of regularisation, has formed the new hills employees’ union frustrated by the failure of the JAKS in addressing their problems. 

DHWU president Dilip Singh said, “We have been working as causal workers since 1989, first under the DGHC and now under the GTA. We have sworn by the GNLF flag and the GJM flag. But even after working for so many years, no solution has come out and we still remain casual workers.” 

He said various rights and facilities enjoyed by permanent employees do not cover casual workers and they are facing a hard time trying to manage family affairs with meagre salaries. 

“We have left the JAKS and launched a new union to fight for and to obtain our rights and facilities as also for the overall benefit of employees,” noted Singh, adding more than 500 causal workers have pledged support to the new union. 

Among the portfolios announced in the meeting today, the post of president has gone to Dilip Singh, Binanjay Gurung has been elected to the post of general secretary and Saran Khawas and Kabita Thapa are the vice presidents of the DHWU. 

Meanwhile, Om Prakash Karki is assistant secretary, Pratima Pradhan and Satyawan Tamang joint secretaries and Mahendra Rai and Saroj Diyali are joint treasurers. 

Notably, Dilip Singh and some of his associates from Kurseong had held important posts in the JAKS. They recently resigned from their posts and joined the TMC. TMC general secretary Mukul Roy welcomed them into the party handing at a meeting in Kurseong held a few weeks earlier.

TMCCP formed

EOIC: The hill unit of the TMC today formed its student wing, the Trinamool Congress Chatra Parishad, in the Darjeeling hills following a meeting in Kurseong. The event saw the presence of around 40 students who later joined the party with TMC hill convener Rajen Mukhia and general secretary NB Khawas presenting them with TMC flags.

Vipin Lama, a resident of Monteviot Road, has been nominated as the Kurseong convener of the TMC Chatra Parishad. Several residents of various wards under Kurseong municipality also joined the TMC as also a number of former GJM leaders from the tea garden areas, including Jeevan Gurung, a prominent figure from Ambatay tea estate.

Mukhia said the TMC is committed to develop and restore peace in the hills, adding self-centered political leaders here have betrayed the people.

Hill TMC general secretary NB Khawas also accused such leaders of manipulating the hill people and misleading them. He said Darjeeling needs development, which has been deprived since decades.

Further, Mukhia said the TMC is forming student wings all over the hills and expects to win 34 to 35 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state. He said if the people of the hills support the TMC, they would be able to voice their demands to the Centre for their benefit.

Mukhia further said CM Mamata Banerjee will be visiting Darjeeling on October 24 and urged everyone to participate in the process of transforming Darjeeling into a ‘Switzerland’.