BAL BANDHUA Shramik Mukti Samiti president J Prasad, in a letter to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has highlighted the plight of bonded labourers of the Saharia tribals of district Guna and the administration’s apathy towards the problem.
Prasad said that 24 Saharia tribals led by Madan Lal (55) and Pooran Lal (60) reached him and requested him to rescue them from the bondage of an influential landlord cum political leader of his village. Prasad said the tribals were given only 52 to 60 kilogram wheat per month.
One of the bonded labourer, Pooran Lal, had borrowed some money from the landlord for the marriage of his daughter. He repaid the amount by working 3 to 4 years for the landlord. Even then the landlord forcibly made him and others bonded labourer and forced them to work from dawn to dusk.
The bonded labourers were not allowed to attend event he last rites of their relatives. They said that three years ago the landlord had molested the wife of labourer. Similarly, the sons of the landlord continued to molest the daughters of a labourer who can not even protest.
Prasad informed the Chief Minister that the Labour Commissioner of Gwalior-Chambal Division was informed about the bonded labourers, but he replied on phone that rescuing the bonded labourers was not his responsibility. It was the responsibility of district Collector, Guna.
{{/usCountry}}Prasad informed the Chief Minister that the Labour Commissioner of Gwalior-Chambal Division was informed about the bonded labourers, but he replied on phone that rescuing the bonded labourers was not his responsibility. It was the responsibility of district Collector, Guna.
{{/usCountry}}Prasad said that the Collector Guna was contacted on phone in this connection. He said action would be taken on January 26. Prasad said that 29 Saharia bonded families were rescued on October 7, 2005, from village Chiroli (Sanchi), district Raisen, but they were not rehabilitated.
The Chief Minister handed over the rehabilitation work to the government contractors and officers. On November 10, 2005, 18 bonded labourer families reached the High Court, Gwalior, to lodge their complaint but the contractor took away Samar, son of Munshilal, with his family to Chiroli and threatened him.
On November 19, 2005, they got Samar to lodge a false criminal case in Sanchi police station against Prasad with the assistance of district police and administration.