SILIGURI, : Darjeeling MP
Raju Bista met with workers who have been on an indefinite relay hunger strike
for the past 98 days, demanding the reopening of their tea estate in
Panighatta.
Bista visited on Saturday evening to show his
solidarity with the workers, who have been protesting to bring the West Bengal
government’s attention to the closure of their garden which has been shut down
for over a decade.
Panighatta, located in the Mirik block, has
remained closed since October 10, 2015 after owner Shankar Sharaf left the
estate, citing financial losses and alleged worker indiscipline.
After meeting with the workers, Bista wrote on Facebook:
“Despite the prolonged closure, no action has been taken by the West Bengal
government to reopen it. What is happening in Panighatta
reflects the broader crisis in West Bengal’s tea industry, where workers
face continuous exploitation and neglect. The struggle of the workers is not
only limited to opening this tea garden, but also to securing their fundamental
human rights and dignity. Therefore, today, after a long discussion with the
conscious citizens of Panighatta, we have decided to work together to ensure
solutions to all the problems they are facing.”
Bista said that he will continue to stand for the
rights of the tea workers, and if necessary, he will also approach Prime
Minister Narendra Modi to seek a solution to their issues. He emphasized that
the government must intervene to end the suffering of the workers.
“At the very least, the West Bengal government should allow the workers to form a co-operative to
run the garden themselves. I am confident that our sisters and brothers from
the tea gardens can run profitable tea estates if given the opportunity,” he
added.
The workers, led by Kishore Pradhan, Raju Bhatta,
and supported by Bandana Rai have vowed to continue the hunger strike until
their demands are met. They are urging the intervention of both Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Modi for the reopening of the garden.
Kishore Pradhan, a trade union leader who was seen
participating in the hunger strike, highlighted the severe financial crisis
faced by the workers. “It has been almost 10 years, and the workers are facing
an acute financial crisis. The government must seriously intervene and address
the situation. We will continue the strike and will not back down. If the
police try to forcefully remove us, we are ready to sacrifice our lives,” he
said.
