By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : One of the biggest trading companies in Nepal that holds the dealership of Tata vehicles in the Himalayan nation as well as three other reputed Indian companies, has resumed business after a 20-day blockade by Maoists.
Sipradi Trading Corp, which suffered shutdowns enforced by the Maoists during the 10-year communist insurgency, had its old nightmare revived this month after the powerful Maoist trade union, the Akhil Nepal Trade Union Mahasangh (Krantikari), forced it to close all its offices and service centres nationwide from Dec 5 to arm-twist the company into rehiring two employees it had sacked.
According to the management, two employees hired on six months’ probation were sacked after four months after their performance was found “unsatisfactory”.
A third part-time worker was also told there was no immediate work.
To force the management into taking back all three, a Maoist union of motor workers blockaded all its offices for 20 days, during which the government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala continued to turn a blind eye to the goings on.
The blockade came at the time the Maoists, who had quit the government in September, signed a new 23-point agreement with the ruling parties, pledging to stop extortion and violence.
Besides Tata Motors, Sipradi is also the Nepal dealer for Bharat Petroleum Corp’s Mak lubricant for cars, Exide Battery, and Lucas Electricals that supplies electrical equipment for vehicles.
The Tata range of vehicles, including Indica, Tata Sumo, jeeps, trucks, tippers and dumpers, are among the highest sellers in Nepal.
Sipradi remained closed for 20 days, incurring a loss of over 16 million Nepali rupees ($252,000).
Though it finally reopened Wednesday after agreeing to take the three contentious employees back, the authorities are keeping their fingers tightly crossed.
The Maoists are pressuring them to implement 13 demands, most of which are not followed by any other company.
They are asking for a minimum 500,000 Nepali rupees ($7,862) health insurance for the over 350 employees, health checks after three months, education for employees’ children, houses for them or adequate house rent, a place to rest and a canteen, and 50 Nepali rupees per day as transport allowance.
They are also asking that the scrap be used for employees’ benefit, a demand that is virtually impossible since each Indian company decides separately what to do with its scrap.
With the rebels now poised to re-enter the government, the industry and business sectors are worried of greater lawlessness, arm-twisting and dictatorship by the Maoist unions.
Sipradi is owned by a former business partner of King Gyanendra and came under frequent Maoist attack during the “people’s war” because of its perceived royal connexion.