The CITU is extremely grieved and shocked at the demise of Comrade A K Roy, the veteran leader of the working class movement and a stalwart of struggle of the downtrodden for justice. He was 81 years old and was suffering from age related diseases. 

Comrade A K Roy joined the trade union movement in his early youth sacrificing his career in those days as a qualified engineer. He was active in organising workers and also distressed people in newly emerging fertiliser industry in extremely backward region of the then Bihar, now in Jharkhand. He was also one of the pioneer organisers and architects of coal workers movement in Dhanbad and Jharia.

Comrade A K Roy was associated with CITU since its inception and had been one of the oldest general council members of CITU. He was elected in Lok Sabha three times from Dhanbad/Jharia area and had all along been vocal in support of the rights of the workers and most downtrodden in side the parliament. His eventful life solely dedicated for the struggle of the working people will always be remembered. 

Comrade A K Roy's demise is great loss to the working class movement and CITU in particular. CITU expresses heartfelt condolence to his family members and comrades and offers its homage of respect to the memories and great contribution of the departed leader.

Comrade Ajay Mukherjee

 THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU)  is extremely grieved at the demise of Comrade Ajay Mukherjee, a stalwart leader of the ‘government employees’ movement in the country. He died on July 24 at Kolkata, he was 92 years old.

He was one of the tallest leaders of the state government employees and one of the founder organisers of All India State Government Employees Federation comprising the state government employees unions in almost all the states of the country.

He led numerous militant battles of the state government employees of West Bengal remaining in the frontline braving severe atrocities and victimisation including dismissal; break in service and also physical attacks. Under his leadership, the state government employees’ movement could become a leading militant component in the struggles against the semi-fascist terror in West Bengal in the seventies followed by ‘internal emergency’.

During the entire period since mid sixties, the state government employees movement had been in the forefront in the strike struggles and bandhs, not only on the employees own demands but also on the democratic demands of the working class and people.  He also played frontline role in building and expanding the organisation, making it the single biggest federation of employees at the national level and also rallying the strength of federation in the united countrywide actions including strikes by the working class on common issues.

Comrade Ajay Mukherjee was also an able parliamentarian championing the cause of the working people in Lok Sabha during the nineties.

Comrade Ajay Mukherjee’s demise is a great loss to the working class and employees’ movement. CITU conveys its heartfelt condolences to his comrades and family members while offering respectful homage to the great contribution of the departed leader for the cause of the toiling class.