SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Aug 9: Employees of the Dhanbad Railway Division under the East Central Railway Karmchari Union (ECRKU) on Tuesday held a massive demonstration against the ‘corporatisation and privatisation’ of Indian railway by the central government.
Hundreds of divisional railway headquarters Dhanbad-based employees, as part of a pre-announced programme of the national federation, assembled at Hill Colony-based Karmchari Union office branch-2 in the afternoon and after taking out a procession, held a massive demonstration chanting slogans against corporatisation and privatisation of the railway.
The spokesperson of ECRKU branch-2 Nilmani Khawas said that it was an All-India programme convened by the All Indian Railway Mens’ Federation. As per the directive of ECRKU, central committee president DK Pandey and general secretary SNPC Srivastava railway employees demonstrated with the sole aim of ‘Railway Bachao, Desh Bachao’ programme.
“Main demand of the federation is an immediate ban on corporatisation and privatisation of railway. The employees under the national federation and ECRKU (zonal) union would continue their protest against the attempt of the central government,” said Nilkamal Khawas.
A union spokesperson said there are 22,000 employees in the Dhanbad Railway Division and all of them simultaneously held a demonstration at their respective branch areas across the division during lunch hour (2.30 pm) fixed by the ECRKU president and general secretary.
The prominent ECRKU branch-2 leaders who were leading the demonstration and addressed the agitators were TK Sahu, A K Daa, Parmeshwar Kumar, Sudarshan Mahto, Somen Dutta, A Puran, Shiva Das, Rakesh Kumar Lakra and Golden Kumar.
