Massive Protest by Tea Workers in Jorhat Over Wage Hike and Land Rights

Jorhat: In a massive protest in Jorhat on Wednesday, hundreds of tea garden labourers took to the streets, demanding a wage hike, land pattas, and the fulfilment of other long-pending welfare commitments.

The protest march, starting from the Cinnamara Tea Estate, concluded with a large sit-in demonstration outside the Jorhat District Commissioner’s Office. The protesters shouted slogans demanding justice, equal pay, and rights over land, alleging that the administration had ignored the needs of the tea community for far too long.

The union leaders present at the rally added that the current daily wage system is incapable of covering basic living costs due to the increase in prices. They also reiterated that many tea workers, despite assurances from the state government on multiple occasions, have yet to receive legal titles to the lands on which they have lived for generations.

Furthermore, one union representative urges the administration to take immediate action. He also opines that the protest is more than just a mere demonstration. He states, “The protest is not only about money, but dignity and security for our people.”

Additionally, the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), also known as the Assam Tea Labourers’ Union, has submitted a memorandum to the district authorities with their key demands: substantial wage revision, distribution of land pattas, and improved healthcare and education facilities for families of tea garden workers. The protesters said that if their demands continue to fall on deaf ears, they would intensify the movement throughout the gardens of Assam in the days to come.

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