Conspired, intentional move of Bengal police to manhandle, arrest tea plantation leader

Statement issued by CK Unnikrishnan, President, All India Plantation Workers Federation (AIPWF) to unconditionally release AIPWF General Secretary:

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The All India Plantation Workers Federation (AIPWF) condemns the conspired and intentional move of the Bengal Police Administration which brutally manhandled and arrested Comrade Ziaul Alam, the General Secretary of AIPWF on 16th August 2023 night, at Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. Most unfortunately, Comrade Ziaul Alam and other 4 arrested comrades were produced in Court on 17th August 2023 and found to be maliciously framed with non-bailable charges and were not granted Bail, which is nothing but an atrocious onslaught on entire working class movement an specifically the tea workers of our country.
The Joint Forum of Trade Unions Operating in Tea Industry of West Bengal, the United platform of more than 30 Tea trade unions have already announced a series of programme starting from demonstration at all the Police Stations of North Bengal Tea Districts on 19th & 20th August 2023 followed by the gate meetings and demonstrations at all the Tea gardens on 21st & 22nd August 2023, and have warned the administration to withdraw false charges failing to which will lead to further stringent form of actions all over the region.
AIPWF warmly welcomes and endorses the plan of protest demonstrations adopted by the Joint Forum and appeals to all of its Bengal constituents to be an active part of it.
In line to the adopted programme, AIPWF has decided to hold one hour gate meetings at all plantation units of India, from Tripura to Kerala, including rubber, spices and other plantation crops on 21st August 2023 morning and to submit a memorandum to the Hon'ble Chief Minister and Home Minister of West Bengal to intervene immediately and withdraw all intentionally framed false charges against our leaders.
AIPWF appeals to all its constituents to ensure the holding of demonstrations with rigorous campaigns among plantation people about the attack of the ruling class and their puppet anti-worker governments intended to bulldoze all kinds of trade union movements in our country.
We, the plantation workers, being the most marginalized and deprived as well as the most productive and revenue generating working section of our country must be heard by the ruling dispensation both at Centre and State. AIPWF requests the west Bengal administration to immediately intervene and ensure the unconditional release of our comrades.
We appeal to the broader section of our plantation society to come forward, condemn and protest this nefarious design.
Release Ziaul Alam.
Release our Leaders.
Stop brutal Police Raj in West Bengal.

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