22 July, 2013Mass rallies are being conducted in solidarity with the jailed 147 Maruti Suzuki workers in Manesar, India. Local Haryana government deployed 1,000 police to outnumber 500 peaceful protesters on 18 July.
After the demonstration, the workers were planning a peaceful March which was stopped by Police forcefully.
The protest was attended by representatives of major trade unions, student organizations, academics, social activists and other concerned persons. Some of the major organizations were National Trade Union Initiative (NTUI), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Jan Sangharsh Manch, (JSM), Krantikari Naujawan Sabha (KNS), Student Federation of India (SFI) and many more.
Workers and Trade Union Leaders from Hero Motor Corporation, Suzuki Power Limited, IGL, Nerolac Paint, Reco Auto and others were actively participated in the demonstration. They asserted to stand in solidarity with the struggle of the members of Maruti Suzuki Workers Union and their demand for a fair inquiry, release of the arrested workers and reinstatement of the workers terminated after the 18 July 2012 incident. This struggle against capital and the complicit state is a critical turning point in upholding democratic rights of the working class.
"It's been a year since our 147 colleagues are in prison in the Bhondsi jail of Gurgaon, 10 in the Kaithal jail and there is a non-bailable warrant against 66 boys," said Rajpal Gowde, a protestor.
He added that the entire incident was a planned conspiracy by the management to break the workers' union and that the charge of the death of Mr. Avnish Kumar Dev, General Manager (Human Resource) was deliberately imposed on the workers.
Representing IndustriALL Global Union, Bro. SM Fahimuddin Pasha participated in the demonstration and expressed solidarity and requested all participants to sign the LabourStart campaign in support of Maruti Workers.
The Maruti workers are continuing their campaign and demonstrations, again mobilising in Kaithal on 20 July, under the banner of Nayya Adhikar Manch (NAM). They will continue their struggle until their demands are met.