GUWAHATI: Miffed at the “silence” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the revival of the paper mills, the HPC (Hindustan Paper Corporation) Paper Mills Revival Action Committee has alleged that the stance only smacked of a “conspiracy to hand over the mills to private parties”.
“By staying silent during the rally in Silchar yesterday on the issue of revival of the HPC mills, the Prime Minister has only dishonoured his pre-poll commitment. We smell a conspiracy by the central government to hand over the two mills to private parties which we vehemently condemn,” chief convener of the committee, Manobendra Chakraborty, told The Shillong Times on Saturday.
The committee had gone ahead with its agitation on Friday despite a request by the Cachar district administration not to stage the protest in view of the Prime Minister’s visit to Silchar on that day.
“However, our members were barred from continuing the protest. Several leaders were picked up by police and taken to an unknown destination towards Lakhipur Road. It is unfortunate that the administration had to use police force to suppress the voice of protesters,” Chakraborty said.
Production in Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram has been suspended since October 20, 2015 while operations at Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad came to a halt on March 13, 2017.
Over 3,000 people are directly employed with HPCL while over 2lakh workers are indirectly engaged in the two mills. As many as 49 employees/workers of the two mills have so far died prematurely in harness.
“Our workers have not been paid for over 24 months now and this is inhuman torture inflicted on them by a government which has been irresponsible. Here we reiterate that our struggle will continue till justice is delivered. The mills have to be revived for creation of employment opportunities and protection of our youths,” he said.