RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: While a large part of the Assembly sessions has been spent on political mudslinging, the Powerloom Units and Allied Industries Joint Action Committee (JAC) lamented that MLAs did not take up their issues for discussion during the Budget session.
With the JAC’s relay hunger strike entering the 10th day on Wednesday, powerloom workers’ association district president Kodam Ramana accused the government of failing to address the issues of the Sircilla powerloom workers in the ongoing Assembly session.
Additionally, the protesters alleged that police personnel forced the tent house owners to remove them from the area on Tuesday night. It may be recalled that 10 powerloom weavers died by suicide in Sircilla recently.
Ramana warned that if the government attempted to suppress the relay hunger strike, they would intensify agitation.
JAC leader Musam Ramesh accused the government of overlooking the concerns of the powerloom industry. He demanded that the government immediately release the dues for Bathukamma sarees, which have been delayed for a year. He said that the relay hunger strike is being carried out peacefully and democratically.
Workers have urged the state and Union governments to address the issues of electricity subsidy and unemployment faced by those working in the sector. Other demands include the release of pending bills, ensuring steady employment, providing yarn subsidies and implementing the worker-to-owner scheme.