TURA, Feb 28: Four organisations from Garo Hills, on Sunday, criticised the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) Administrator, Dr D Vijay Kumar, for ordering the resumption of work by agitating employees and giving them the option to take the one-time settlement and discontinue their services in the council.
Organisations including the GSU, FKJGP, AYWO and ADE pointed out that the employees have the right to agitate democratically and demand for the release of over two years pending salaries, while terming the recent order issued towards them as illegal.
“Instead of understanding the difficulties faced by the employees, the authority is now threatening them with termination. We extend full support towards the agitating employees and will work with them so that they get justice,” the organisations said.
They also warned that the people of Garo Hills would not bow down to such pressure tactics against the employees who are raising a genuine issue.
“We warn the Administrator that Garo Hills will not bow down to tyranny. If Dr Vijay Kumar thinks that non-payment of salaries for more than two years is a miniscule problem then let him not take his salary for more than two years and should he wish to espouse his noble nature and virtue let him donate two years of his salary. If even one of the employees is terminated we will push ahead with our agitations and call for months long strikes of the GHADC, demonstrations and even bandh in Garo Hills,” GSU president, Tengsak G Momin, warned.
The organisations said that Kumar should know very well of the corruption and scams within the Council and it was only now when the employees are making a genuine demand for release of their salaries that he was cracking the whip.
“Where was that whip to check financial mismanagements to ensure strict and transparent revenue collections? GSU is asking you: how much the revenue was collected all these years when the employees were not paid their salaries? We would also like to highlight the Rs 28-crore scam,” they added.
The organizations, while urging the people to be involved in the fight for the future of Garo Hills, said that they were extending full support to the Non Gazetted Employees’ Association (NGEA).
They also urged the indigenous people including MDCs of all parties to boycott the GHADC elections if non-tribals are allowed to vote and contest.
“We declare the boycott of the GHADC elections 2021 till after the amendment of the 6th Schedule and the implementation of the provisions of the amendment, the insurance of the non-participation of the non-tribals in the district council elections and the clearance of salaries of the Council employees pertaining to 30 months. We request all the other indigenous tribal brothers of Garo Hills to fight together to boycott the 2021 district council elections if the non-tribals are allowed to contest and vote,” the organisations said.