EIMPCC holds rally in Tolly para

Tollywood technicians, directors and artistes under the umbrella of Eastern India Motion Pictures and Cultural Confederation held a rally on Monday afternoon. The rally started from the Uttam Kumar statue, near Tollygunge

tram

depot, and ended at

Dasani

Studio. Several eminent Tollywood personalities, including George Baker, Debika Mukherjee, Pulokita, Rahul Burman, Mahi, Dev Sen (musician) Dhiman Sankar (choreographer) and others were spotted at the rally.

Taking a dig on minister Arup Biswas and his brother Swarup, who allegedly have influence in Tolly para, Baban Ghosh, chairman of the confederation, said, “We have to end the autocracy of the Biswas brothers.” Speaking on the alleged fund collection from technicians and other workers in lieu of issuing guild cards, he said, “We want no chandagiri and no dadagiri (No extortion and no bullying). How can technicians be deprived of their minimum wage for months?”

Filmmaker Sanghamitra Chaudhuri, vice chairperson of EIMPCC, stressed on the current situation and said, “A cut-money is charged to issue a guild card. Sometimes the amount goes up to lakhs of rupees. Several technicians are without a guild card today. So, we have decided to issue cards to technicians free of cost. We will get investors for miniplexes in all districts. We will initiate a dialogue with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the Labour Welfare Ministry to give us recognition as an industry so that we get all benefits.”

Fashion designer

Agnimitra Paul

, president of the organisation, said there should be uniformity in providing work. “Artistes and technicians, who are close to the ruling party, are getting work. Several technicians’ payments are held up for months. We need to stop this,” she said at the rally.