Workers of two tea estates owned by the Andrew Yule & Company, a central government enterprise that functions under the Union ministry of heavy industries, demonstrated — with the backing of the Trinamool-backed union — in one of the gardens in Jalpaiguri on Sunday to protest non-payment of wages and other dues.
In the Dooars, the company owns four tea estates — Banarhat, New Dooars, Choonabhutti and Karballa — and employs around 6,000 workers.
On Sunday, around 500 workers of New Dooars and Choonabhutti, located in Banarhat block of the district, demonstrated in front of the manager’s office from 8am to 11am, along with leaders of the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union (TCBSU).
“We are not getting wages for the past six months. If our wages are not cleared immediately, we will resort to a road blockade and will intensify our protests,” said Nadira Kami, a worker of Choonabhutti.
Sources said while the wages of workers are due for six months, the sub-staff employed in these four gardens have not received their wages for the past six months.
“Two months back, we had blocked NH17 on the same issue, and the authorities had assured that our dues would be cleared soon. On May 27, we again staged a protest and were told that payment would be done on May 29. So far, not a penny has been paid to us. If this goes on, we will block the highway again and will not withdraw until the payment is made,” said Kanika Rautia, who works in New Dooars.
Along with the workers, the employees also joined the protests.
Mintu Sengupta, the head clerk of Choonabhutti, said that since 2023, the provident fund of workers and other employees had not been deposited with the PF authorities in any of these four gardens.
“Also, no funds are available to repair the workers’ quarters. The workers are in a terrible crisis. Thus, we stood in support of their demonstration,” Sengupta said.
Leaders of the TCBSU, who are flagging the piling of dues in the gardens of Andrew Yule, as it is a central government enterprise, were critical of the Narendra Modi-led Centre.
“On May 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Alipurduar but he didn’t say a word about the plight of the tea workers. The central government itself is depriving the workers while the PM is making tall talks. The Centre has put hundreds of workers and their families in crisis. It is a clear example that the Narendra Modi government is ignorant of what ails the tea population,” said Sanjay Kuzur, a central committee member of the TCBSU who joined the protests on Sunday.
District BJP leaders, however, accused the TMC of inciting the workers.
“We have drawn the attention of the authorities concerned (who run the gardens) through our state leaders and hope the issue will be resolved soon. As the Assembly elections are drawing near, Trinamool is trying to incite the workers for political gains,” said Shyamal Roy, a district BJP leader in Jalpaiguri.