--- On Mon, 20/5/13, maruti worker <marutiworkerstrug...@gmail.com> wrote:


From: maruti worker <marutiworkerstrug...@gmail.com>
Subject: URGENT: MSWU Release on Repression on our struggle
To: 
Date: Monday, 20 May, 2013, 15:27



dear comrades,
 
please help us circulate this and organize actions in solidarity to make this 
movement a call for unity of the working class and toiling masses and 
progressive forces.
 
MSWU





MARUTI SUZUKI WORKERS UNION
Reg. No. 1923
IMT Manesar
 
 
 
PRESS RELEASE: 20th May 2013
 
 
We are facing one of the most brutal repression by the government on our 
movement. While we have adopted the democratic and peaceful means available to 
demand the release of arrested 147 workers, withdrawal of non-bailable arrest 
warrants from 66 workers and reinstatement of terminated 546 permanent and 1800 
contract workers, the government has only responded with force and malice and 
in collusion with the Maruti Suzuki company management.
 
Our peaceful dharna has been going on since 24th March, which included hunger 
strike, deputations, rallies, which are all in the ambit of our democratic 
right guaranteed in the Constitution. This was forcibly broken on 18th May by 
the huge police force of thousands of personnel in riot gear, tear gas etc. 
They came in before curfew under Sec.144 was declared on the entire town of 
Kaithal at 5pm with effect till midnight of 19th May to prevent our call for a 
protest demonstration on 19th May in front of the residence of Haryana 
Industries and Commerce Minister, Randip Singh Surjewala. Thousands of people 
from across Haryana and other pro-worker people from across the country were to 
come to express solidarity.
 
At 11.30pm on 18th May those on the site of the dharna, 96 workers and 
activists were arrested and sent to Kaithal Jail under Sections 188, 341, 506, 
511. This includes a member of the Provisional Working Committee, MSWU, Yogesh 
Gawande, and two Trade Union activists who have been coming in support, 
Shyamveer who is a correspondent of the workers newspaper, Nagrik and an 
activist with Inqlabi Mazdoor Kendra, and Amit and who is a workers’ movement 
activist and current Phd student in Economics dept, CESP, JNU, New Delhi. On 
the morning of 19th May, 4 more workers were arrested from their homes in the 
villages nearby.
 
On 19th May 2013, we decided to go ahead with our pre-declared program, and 
around 1500 people started coming in solidarity from across Haryana in the 
morning. These included primarily workers and our family members and relatives, 
and people from village Panchayats, democratic and mass organizations and 
individuals. A huge police force and CID Haryana personnel were all over the 
Bus Station, Railway Station and all points in the town to follow and stop 
anyone who was coming for support. We gathered near Pyoda village 2km from the 
city limits, and started to peacefully march to register our protest, that all 
those arrested on 18th May night be released immediately so that talks can 
happen. Barricades and a huge police contingent of over 2000 personnel with 
water cannons and tear gas vehicles, stopped us on the road next to Surjewala’s 
residence.
 
At 6.30pm, without any warning, the stationed police force started a brutal 
lathi-charge and tear gas and water cannons were unleashed mercilessly on the 
protestors, which included in large majority, women, children and old men. 
Hundreds were seriously injured and admitted to the hospital. The police came 
with a second round of lathi-charge when people were still in a state of shock. 
The government has acted with malicious intention, and with a view to crush the 
struggle while all wanted to do was register our peaceful protest in front of 
our elected representatives, and yesterday’s actions and arrests shows this.
 
Eleven workers and activists were arrested on completely fabricated charges of 
serious nature. These are:
·       Ramniwas of Provisional Working Committee, Maruti Suzuki Workers Union
·       Deepak Bakshi who is advisor to the MSWU and General Secretary of 
Hindustan Motors-Sangrami Shramik Karamchari Union, Kolkata
·       Somnath who is a correspondent of the workers newspaper, Shramik Shakti
·       Suresh Koth, who is panchayat leader from Koth village, Hissar dist, 
Haryana
·       Nitish
·       Mangtu
·       Premchand
·       and three more people, whose names are still unclear.
They have been charged under non-bailable Sections 148, 149, 188, 283, 332, 
353, 186, 341, 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC, 3 of P/D, TPDA, 8NH for 
blocking the highway and 25 (54 and 59) of the Arms Act. They have been 
produced in the Kaithal Court today 20th May 2013 and sent to 14days of 
Judicial Custody. So 111 more workers and activists, who have continued with 
the movement even after repression since 18 July 2012 have now been arrested, 
taking the total of arrested workers and activists to 258, along with 66 
non-bailable arrest warrants.
 
This is a serious pre-meditated assault on especially those of the active 
workers and activists who have stood in solidarity with us and to show us again 
as criminals only because we continue to protest against the wrongs that have 
been done to us for the last two years since 4th June 2011, and especially 
since 18th July 2012 when it became apparent that the government is openly 
siding with the company against workers and activists. This is the reward the 
government has again given us workers for asking for our rights, for demanding 
the right to organize and Unionize and for demanding the abolition of the 
contract workers system, and hence asking questions on its model of development.
 
We appeal to all workers, trade unions and workers organizations, democratic 
rights and civil rights organizations and mass organizations and democratic 
minded individuals and to come out in protest in this hour when we need all 
forms of solidarity. We reiterate our just demands of releasing all the 
arrested workers and activists and reinstatement of terminated workers.
 
 
Provisional Working Committee
Maruti Suzuki Workers Union




-- 
http://marutisuzukiworkersunion.wordpress.com/ 

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
"humanrights movement" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email 
to humanrights-movement+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to humanrights-movement@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.


Reply via email to