[Reader-list] An appeal to Student-Youth and Progressive citizens

[Asit Das]

*An appeal to Student-Youth and Progressive citizens*


*STAND WITH HONDA WORKERS STRUGGLE!*


*COME AND SUPPORT THE INDEFINITE HUNGER STRIKE BY THE WORKERS AT JANTAR
MANTAR ON 19 SEPTEMBER 2016!*


*Student-Workers Unity Long Live!*


Friends/Comrades,

We, the Honda workers from Tapukara, Rajasthan are going to sit on an
indefinite hunger strike from 19 September 2016 at Jantar Mantar.  The
conflict between the Honda workers and the management started when workers
decided to initiate a worker was beaten up and was held back in the company
for forced overtime on 16 February 2016. When all the workers came to know
about it, they demanded an enquiry and action on the accused engineer. In
the meantime, the company management called the bouncers who aggressively
attacked the workers. Soon the police came and had a brutal lathi charge on
the workers. Many workers had grievous injury. Farcically, workers were
slapped serious charges under section 307, 395 etc of IPC and were put
behind the bar. Around 3000 contract workers and 200 permanent workers were
thrown out of their job.

For the last 7 months, we, the Honda workers, are struggling relentlessly.
Till date we were denied permission by the police-administration-court to
have even a peaceful demonstration anywhere near the industrial belt and we
were not allowed for any kind of sit-in protest in any place in between
Gurgaon and Jaipur. On 19 February, around 5000 workers had a rally from
Tau Devilal Park, Gurgaon to the Honda head office, and started sit in
demonstration there. Within a day the workers were forced to leave by the
police under the pretext of section 144. After that the workers tried to
have peaceful demonstrations in Tapukara, Alwar, Dharuhera, Jaipur but
could not advance because of severe repression by the
police-administration. The workers sought justice from the Rajasthan and
Haryana government, but there was no response.

In this situation, the Honda workers have decided to intensify the
struggle. The workers have decided that an indefinite hunger strike will be
initiated from 19 September 2016 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, demanding
that all the suspended and terminated workers be taken back, all the false
criminal cases be withdrawn immediately and all trade union rights are
ensured.

*WE APPEAL TO THE STUDENT-YOUTH AND PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY TO STAND WITH THE
HONDA WORKERS!*

In last few years, we are witness of some powerful student movements in
Delhi-NCR and beyond. These movements have drawn significant popular and
media attention. Also the progressive section of society have reacted time
and again against the state sponsored divisive politics and repression on
popular struggles. But simultaneously many intense struggles of workers in
the underbelly of ‘Make in India’ have gone almost unnoticed. Against
Corporate capital and repressive state machinery, we don’t consider the
struggles of different sections of society as watertight compartments.

As we plan to start indefinite hunger strike, we appeal to the
student-youth and progressive intellectuals to stand with us in our fight
for justice and take part in the demonstrations, campaigns and
fund-raisings in the college-university spaces as well as industrial belts.
We appeal to them to highlight our issue in whatever form -- through
cultural initiatives, writing in social-mainstream-alternative media etc
and also sending letters to competent authorities. Also the Honda workers
have given a call for the boycott of Honda two-wheeler products like
ACTIVA, SHINE etc. We appeal to all to further the campaign. Shockingly, we
just found out that the name of ‘Vishwavidyalaya’ Metro station has been
changed to ‘Honda two-wheeler Vishwavidyalaya’ as a naked show of corporate
might over university space. We need to unite to compel the authorities to
immediately withdraw this change.

For our struggle, we appeal to all to generously contribute to our struggle
fund. Contributions can be sent to following Bank Account:

*SONU KUMAR*

*ACC. NO. 114501505870*

*ICICI BANK,*

*UDYOG VIHAR, GURGAON BRANCH*

*IFSC CODE—001145*

Please send a message to this number *08950743351* (Sonu, Vice President of
Honda 2f Kamgaar Samuh) or mail us at hondauniontapukara at gmail.com after
you make a contribution, and for any further details.



*JOIN*

*Indefinite Hunger Strike of Honda Tapukara Workers*

*Date: 19th September 2016*

*Time: 11 am*



*Honda Motorcycle and Scooter 2f  Kamgaar Samuh*