Bengal tea garden union says false cases being lodged against its members

Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity protests false cases against leaders demanding timely wages for tea garden workers.

Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity, a union of tea garden workers,has protested against registration of ‘false cases’ against its leaders, including Kirsen Kheria, a central committee member, for demanding timely wages for the workers.

On Friday (January 3, 2025), Mr. Kheria approached a court in Jalpaiguri seeking anticipatory bail in the police case registered against him at Kilkote Tea Garden. The union leader said that he was not even present at the site of protest over which he has been booked on non-bailable charges, including attempt to murder.

The incident relates to a protest on Christmas Eve (December 24, 2024) when the tea garden workers, upset with the delay in payment of wages, gathered at the factory gate and later went to the manager’s house where an altercation broke out.

The charges pressed against Mr. Kheria and other tea garden workers include attempt to murder, house trespass, causing grievous hurt, criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman. (Sections 329(4), 126(2), 117(2), 109/74/351(2)/3(5) of BNS).

“Ever since the new management took over [operations] at Kilkote Tea Garden, the payments have become irregular. The workers have to protest to get wages every fifteen days. [On December 24] There was nothing except an altercation and I was not even present at the spot,” Mr. Kheria said.

The Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity, a prominent union of tea garden workers, has sought immediate withdrawal of the case, action against Kilcot management for breaking Provident Fund (PF) laws, and restoration of industrial peace in Kilcot.

Recently, the West Bengal government came up with a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for abandoned gardens, which fixed certain conditions, such as clearance of dues for workers, for companies taking over such gardens.