Karnataka   

Beedi workers take out rally

By Our Staff Correspondent

TUMKUR, JUNE 9. Members of the Tumkur Zilla Beedi Karmikara Sangha, an affiliate of Centre for Indian Trade Unions, took out a rally here on Wednesday against what they described as failure of the Government to provide beedi workers various benefits. Work at beedi manufacturing units was affected because of the rally.

The beedi workers, most of whom were women, and their children, came out in large numbers holding red flags and shouted slogans against the Government. At the end of the rally, the protestors presented a memorandum to a Revenue official urging the Government to redress their grievances.

Mohammed Dastagir, senior trade union leader, Syed Mujib, secretary of Centre for Indian Trade Unions, Karnataka, Kodandaram, vice-president of the sangha, Nissar Ahmed, its secretary, addressed the rally.

They said there were 80,000 beedi workers in Tumkur district. The Government had not stopped lottery, but it had decided to ban smoking, without creating any alternative job opportunities for beedi workers.

The leaders demanded that the Union and the State Governments evolve a policy for the welfare of beedi workers and also their children's education.

Niroop Ravat, Jayamma, Ustad (Tumkur), Shakira, Hasina, Shahjadi (Chiknayakanahalli), Noorjan, Fayaz Unnisa (Tiptur), Sayida Begum (Koratagere), Syed Altaf (Slum Dwellers' Protection Committee) and Afsar (Democratic Youth Federation of India) were among those who led the rally.

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