By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Margherita (Assam) : As simmering tension and violence continues in Assam’s tea heartland, hundreds of plantation workers are in the grip of hunger.
More than a million tea workers are hit hard by the violence and not getting their daily wages because the gardens have shut down following frequent protests and general strikes.
“The worst sufferers are the workers. Staging a strike or protest means the gardens are closed and they do not get paid,” Madhusudan Khandait, leader of the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), told IANS.
The ACMS represents some one million workers spread over Assam’s 800-odd gardens.
The entire tea belt in Assam is in turmoil over Saturday’s mob violence in Guwahati involving Adivasis, one of the 120 tea tribe communities, and locals.
On Saturday, thousands of Adivasis took out a protest march in Guwahati, demanding inclusion of the community as Scheduled Tribe. Clashes broke out after protestors went on a rampage damaging vehicles and shops.
The locals retaliated and in the ensuing clashes, the Adivasis were outnumbered.
One Adivasi man died and more than 200 were injured. A protesting woman was stripped naked. This triggered a violent backlash, with the All Assam Adivasi Students Association (AAASA) and the All Assam Santhal Students Union (AASSU) leading the protest.
Almost all tea gardens have remained closed since Sunday, with the workers staging violent protests.
“For people like us, it is becoming increasingly difficult to survive without daily wages. I don’t have enough money to feed my three children and my wife,” said Rameshwar Murmu, a worker in Margherita, about 540 km east of Assam’s main city Guwahati.
There are similar tales of woe from other plantation workers.
“On an average we lose about Rs.100 per day. Some families are going without food as we all survive on a day to day basis, solely depending on the daily wage we get,” said Kamala Tudu, a mother of three and herself a tea picker.
A tea picker earns Rs.54.80 as daily wage besides 20 percent as bonus, 12 percent provident fund, besides ration.
“The perks and incentives, including ration, are based on the number of days they work in the gardens. No work means even ration is stopped,” Khandait said.
However, tea production is unlikely to be affected because this is an off-season with just pruning of bushes being done in most gardens.
India is the world’s largest tea producer after China, with a record crop of 955 million kg last year. Assam accounts for about 50 percent of India’s total production.
“Some political parties are now actively involved in provoking the workers to agitate and hence the turmoil. We want this ceaseless violence to stop,” tea picker Anil Kandulia said.
There were sporadic incidents of violence Thursday from gardens in northern and eastern Assam with protestors attacking non-tribal people.
“We appeal to all sections of the society for restraint,” Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.