by Ashis Sinha :
Over dozens of workers, including females from Bhavnathpur (Garhwa), were injured when Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) cops restored a brutal lathi charge on them near Bokaro Steel Administrative Building of Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) at Bokaro Steel City in Jharkhand.
The workers were staging a sit-in protest near the Bokaro Steel Administrative Building. The ongoing protest stems from the closure of the Dolomite mine in Bhavnathpur’s Tulsidamar on 16 February 2020.
The mine shut down left thousands of labourers unemployed, exacerbating their financial hardships. Seeking resolution, more than three thousand workers embarked on a march from Garhwa to the Bokaro Steel Plant, demanding appropriate compensation and the reopening of the mine.
Since June 22, they have maintained an indefinite sit-in protest near the administrative building’s entrance, said a worker (protestor).
For the third consecutive day, hundreds of workers engaged in an indefinite strike in front of the Bokaro Steel Administrative Building. Former minister KN Tripathi arrived on Saturday to initiate discussions in support of the workers’ cause, he said.
However, chaos ensued when CISF personnel resorted to a lathi charge, chasing and assaulting the protesters, said the eyewitnesses.
Several suffered multiple injuries during the lathi charge, with approximately six individuals sustaining fractures in their arms and legs. Among them were Sukhdev Yadav from Bhavnathpur, Jai Kumar Rai, Nagar Untari, Pawan Paswan, the State Secretary of INTUC Jharkhand, Vishwanath Saav, Lakhiram Manjhi, including others.
Even the former minister KN Tripathi was not spared from the violence and sustained injuries at the protest site. Witnesses reported seeing him falling to the ground amidst the chaos of water cannons and baton charges.
Accusing the CISF jawans, Tripathi alleged that they had exceeded their authority by employing lathi charges, despite the presence of local police and Bokaro Steel security personnel. He further criticized the CISF for their actions, citing the assault on women protesters in the absence of female police officers.
Tripathi pointed out the negligence of Bokaro Steel officials, claiming that they had not addressed the concerns of the workers even after more than 48 hours. Despite attempting peaceful dialogue with the management, the workers were met with the unauthorized use of force by CISF personnel.
To prevent an escalation in violence and guarantee the protection of workers’ rights, Tripathi argues that “urgent intervention and a peaceful resolution” are required.
