WORKERS in Durgapur-Asansol industrial belt embarked on a 60 kilometre march to defend workers’ rights and save the entire area from the threat of deindustrialisation. The three day march, at the call of Left trade unions, started from Durgapur on February 2 and went through industrial and coal mines areas along the National Highway 2. It received huge response from the people of the area and became a stream of humanity on its way to Burnpur, where it culminated in a massive rally on February 4.

Industrial belt of Durgapur-Asansol is suffering from closure, lock-out, forcible shut down, mass retrenchment of workers, and ouster of contract workers. This, coupled with looming threat of privatisation of coal mines, has imperiled the entire area.

The march was flagged off by Dipak Dasgupta, CITU state general secretary in Durgapur. Thousands of people gathered in solidarity with the marchers and subsequently joined in the rally. Apart from the demand of opening of closed factories, slogans were raised against privatisation of coal mines, reinstatement of retrenched contract workers, collection of ransom by ruling party hoodlums.

Arjun Ghosh, a worker of Alchemist, owned by TMC Rajya Sabha member KD Singh joined in the rally. The MP is accused of fraudulent collection of money through chit fund. After the outbreak of the scam he has stopped production in the factory. The wages of the workers are now being stopped. Many like Shanti Das, Khagen Das are victims of closure of factories mainly because of ransom-raj by the ruling party. In Durgapur Steel Plant, more than three thousand contract workers were thrown out under threat from TMC after they seized power in the state. The workers were thrown into darkness. Many were forced to starve. Hundreds of them gathered in front of DSP gate to welcome the march. From Andal to Jamuria, traditional coal belt, folk artists joined the march and narrated the miserable life of the workers through songs. The villagers in ECL mining areas are suffering from disastrous effects of open cast mines, destroying the entire eco system of the areas. Unbridled blasting has ruptured villages and illegal mining has generated a dangerous economy. They joined in the march demanding proper compensation and rehabilitation. The only jute mill in this belt in Mangalpur has been closed by anarchy initiated by the TMC. The workers of the closed mill waited hours for the marchers to reach and joined with red flags in their shoulder. Trade union leaders explained the situation in street corners and public gatherings on the way. Even the organizers were not prepared for such a thumping response from the people of the area. The march reached in Burnpur through the city of Asansol on the last day, colouring the entire area red with flags.

 In the massive rally in Burnpur, AK Padmanabhan, CITU all India president, strongly criticised Modi and Mamata governments and said in exchange for so-called change the toiling people have got more attacks on their livelihood. Padmanabhan said, Modi government was aggressively pushing corporate agendas and strengthening big capital through labour law reforms. But they will face strong resistance from the workers. There will be waves of strike actions. To chalk out united movements, the trade unions will meet in Delhi on February 26.

CITU leader and former MP from Asansol, Bangsha Gopal Chowdhury,  AITUC leader RC Singh, UTUC leader Bidhu Chowdhury were among the speakers. Veteran trade union leader Bamapada Mukherjee was present on the dias.