Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday declined to support the 12-hour hill strike called by trade unions demanding a 20% bonus for tea garden workers. She stated that the ongoing meeting between the trade union and the Labour Commission should be allowed to proceed without interference.
"We do not support the strike. Whatever their demands are, they will discuss them in the meeting with the Labour Commission. I cannot interfere in this," the CM said.
Darjeeling MP and BJP spokesperson Raju Bista criticized the CM’s stance, urging her to intervene in favor of the workers. Bista stated that the tea garden workers were compelled to strike due to the government's failure to address their concerns.
"It is extremely unfortunate that the Chief Minister, despite being in North Bengal, has refused to intervene in favor of the tea garden workers. The government has ignored their plight, and had their bonus issues been addressed, the strike would have been unnecessary," Bista said in a statement.
Trade unions representing Darjeeling tea garden workers organized the strike, stating that the bonus issue has persisted for a long time. Despite multiple meetings, no resolution has been reached.
Suman Tamang, a leader of the trade union, remarked, "This issue is not new; it is very old. We have had four rounds of meetings, but no solution has been found. All trade unions have called for a 12-hour strike, with political parties supporting us."
Earlier in March, tea growers also expressed disappointment with the central government, urging action to address the ongoing crisis in Darjeeling's tea industry.
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