Anti-labour activities of government compelling us to take up agitation, says Ashish Biswas, joint general secretary of NFRMU

Bongaigaon, Sept 19: “On September 19, 1968, nine railway workers were shot down by police. These workers were demanding rights for the labour class people and taking a stand against the anti-labour administration. The administration directed the police to shoot at the workers and in the firing, nine workers died and thousands were injured. Finally the administration was compelled to bow down before labour unity. Rights of labour class people were given to them. This is a history of sacrifice and two martyrs were from the Northeast - Pares Sanyal from Bongaigaon and Ramen Acharjee from Mariani. In this golden jubilee year of that day, we remember those martyrs with tearful eyes,” said Ashish Biswas, joint general secretary of the North East Frontier Railway Mazdoor Union (NFRMU), on Wednesday in Bongaigaon at the open meeting of the golden jubilee year of Martyrs’ Day organized centrally by NFRMU.

This day was celebrated by NFRMU centrally at Bongaigaon and Mariani. In Bongaigaon, the programme started with flag hoisting in all four branches. This was followed by a bike rally in the evening which started from the Priya Gupta Memorial Hall and culminated at the New Bongaigaon BG colony playground. A mass meeting had been conducted there where several noted leaders including Ashish Biswas, Kanak Barman and Phanidhar Das were present.

Addressing the gathering, Kanak Barman said that history was going to repeat itself. “The anti-labour activities of the government are compelling us to adopt the path of such agitation again. We have to be ready for that,” he said.