Joint Forum demands immediate arrest of a GTA member

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, SILIGURI, 11 SEPTEMBER 2023 : The Joint Forum of Trade Unions of Tea Industry has launched a three-day demonstration programme across six districts of North Bengal from today demanding immediate arrest of a member of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Dhendup Pakhrin.

The leaders and supporters of the Joint Forum will serve a memorandum to all police stations in their respective areas on this issue.

In a written memorandum the Joint Forum (JP) alleged that a gang of 30 goons led by GTA member Mr Pakhrin assaulted three members of JF, Sunil Rai, Pranay Sherpa and Prabhat Rai, as they were holding a meeting with the tea workers and their family members at Namgring Tea Estate under Rangli Rangliot Police Station in Darjeeling on 8 September.

According to the spokesperson of the JF, Ziaul Alain, they were discussing the issue of impending multiple adverse impacts of recently amended version of land legislation affecting tea gardens' land for freehold use and Refugee Rehabilitation department's older for exploring the possibility of providing not more than five decimal homestead land under refugee rehabilitation scheme for a few category of residents, ousting them from their century old ancestral residential land holding as well as own villages, destabilizing their historically evolved communities and harmonious unique society and culture.

The JF leaders are now demanding that the state government should provide Rayatee Khatian deeds for all workers homestead land holdings soon on the basis of 'as is where is'.

The JF protested strongly against the government order from Refugee Rehabilitation department terming it most derogatory branding nearly one and half century old residents as refugee.

ancestrally against the government order from Refugee Rehabilitation department terming it most derogatory branding nearly one and half century old residents as refugee.

The JF leaders will also serve a representation to C:CPA ( Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations) through the manager of all tea estates on 12 an 13 September demanding 20 per cent bonus for the war 2022-2023.

The JF also demanded that management would make payment of bonus and other due payments of all categories of workers at least four weeks ahead of festival.