Tea lock after TMC ire

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Dec. 25: An alleged attempt by a Trinamul trade union leader and his associates to attack the manager of Tukvar tea garden with knives has led to suspension of work at the estate on Christmas day.

The Tukvar garden, managed by Jay Shree Tea and Industries Limited, said in its "suspension of operations" notice that Sadhav Mukhia, the unit president of the Trinamul affiliated Darjeeling District Tea Employees' and Workers' Union, led a group of workers "armed with knives" and charged at manager Rajesh Pareek in his office yesterday.

Mukhia is a worker of the garden, which was set up in 1852 by Dr A. Campbell, the man credited for introducing tea in Darjeeling, and employs 1,646 workers.

"A section of workers/non-workers also had also gathered in the evening of 24th December 2015, seeking out the manager in the garden," the notice signed by Pareek read.

The notice said that "a worker along with other workers, armed with knives, accosted the manager (undersigned) in the office". The manager was "abused and threatened and thereafter the said worker along with others, armed with knives, charged at the manager with the intention of causing grievous injury.... Another worker who was present at the scene stopped the said worker from assaulting."

The management has stated that "when there is a wilful attempt by a section of workers, led by a few leaders, to disrupt garden functioning... intimidate executives for their own perceived gain, no management of consequence can run the garden under such trying circumstances."

"A complaint has been lodged against a worker Sadhev Mukhia at Darjeeling Sadar police station," said Sandeep Mukherjee, the principal advisor to the Darjeeling Tea Association.

Despite the suspension-of-work notice, all the workers went about their tasks in the garden today, even though the management had left late last night.

The issue that led to the confrontation in the garden relates to Tukvar's garden attempt to instil discipline among workers, sources in the management said.

According to industry norms, Tukvar garden had decided not to provide work to labourers during the four-month lean season if any worker, except for those with medical reasons, had not put in 120 days of work till November.

"During plucking season, workers do not turn up.... But during the winter, when there is light work as there is no plucking, everyone turns up," said Mukherjee.

J.B. Tamang, general secretary of the Trinamul union, said the issue was not absenteeism. "Devendra Sharma, a central committee leader of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, is the head chowkidar of the garden and draws a monthly salary of Rs 5,110. He never turns up for work, in fact he has been mostly absent from work since 2007. However, the management does not stop him from working during the winter season.... Other Morcha leaders and their wives also enjoy such preferential treatment," he said.