Writes : Kousik Sen
In pic : The BSNL contractual employees demonstrate with the body in Raiganj on Tuesday. Picture by Kousik Sen
A section of contractual employee of the BSNL who haven't been getting salaries since 2016 resorted to a demonstration on Tuesday following the death of their colleagues at the super-specialty hospital here on Monday night.
The protesters took his body to the local BSNL office and ransacked some of the rooms and assaulted an official. They were alleging that Kajal Sarkar, 32, had died because he could not undergo proper treatment because of lack of money.
From there, they also walked up to NH34 at Siliguri More and raised a road blockade with the body. The blockade continued for an hour and was withdrawn after administrative officials intervened.
Sources said 154 people had been working with the BSNL here on contract for several years. From 2016, the BSNL stopped disbursal of their salaries, prompting the employees to launch a movement then.
"All of us are finding it tough to arrange a decent square meal for our families. Kajal was also into the movement and in a consistent manner. He was suffering from heart ailments and died because he did not have money to undergo proper treatment," said one of the demonstrators.
A resident of Shaktinagar in Raiganj, Kajal, fell ill on Monday evening. He was admitted to the super-specialty hospital where he died later at night. Kajal had been suffering from a heart ailment for months, but couldn't afford a proper treatment because of financial constraints, said sources.
Around 10am, the contractual employees walked into the BSNL office at Karnajora with Kajal's last remains. Apprehending trouble, most of the officials and staff left the office before the demonstrators reached there.
They vandalised the rooms and assaulted Harish Basak, an official.
From there, they headed for Siliguri More on NH34, kept Sarkar's body on the highway and raised a road blockade.
"We want punishment of all those who are responsible for his death and our present situation. We have been working for several years and suddenly, our salaries were stopped. It has been almost two years but no initiative has been taken by the BSNL authorities to help us," Adhir Sarkar, a demonstrator, said.
The blockade continued on the highway. Meanwhile, several policemen reached the spot to prevent deterioration in the law and order. After about an hour, an official of the district administration spoke with the demonstrators and could make them withdraw the blockade.
(Source : The Telegraph)
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