CISF ‘attacks’ workers demanding reopening of Bokaro dolomite mines

Bokaro: More than a dozen workers got injured when the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans resorted to lathi-charge and discharge of water cannons at the Ispat Bhawan of Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) under city police station on Saturday. Two of the injured including a woman were rushed to hospital.Today’s flashpoint came after three days of continuous protests by workers who came to Bokaro from Bhavnathpur in Garhwa district to raise their demand of re-opening SAIL's Tulsidamar Dolomite Mines, which was closed about four years ago. The labourers came to present their issues to the management and protest under the banner of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC).Bokaro superintendent of police (SP), Chandan Kumar Jha, said that the police had no involvement in the lathi-charge.Manoj Kumar, a Congress leader, said, “The lathi-charge took place when the national president of Rashtriya Mazdoor Congress, K N Tripathi, arrived at the scene to voice the concerns of protesting workers.”He added, “Tripathi was engaged in discussions with the CISF officer to initiate negotiation talks with BSL.”Kumar said, "The protest was peaceful and neither the magistrate nor the police officer gave any orders at spot. Such inhumane actions by the CISF, especially targeting elderly labourers and women in a civilian area, are barbaric." A worker, Jay Kumar said, “Over 730 registered and 2,000 unregistered workers had been working at the Tulsidamar Dolomite mine for more than three decades. Following its closure in February 2020, these workers are now facing a livelihood crisis.”
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