KANNUR: The tussle between CITU workers and Rabeeh Muhammad, owner of hardware shop SR Associates at Mathamangalam here, has been resolved at a meeting of both parties convened by Labour Commissioner S Chithra in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. As per the decision taken in the meeting, the shop will be reopened on Tuesday.
The amicable settlement between the two parties is a perfect answer to those who tried to blow up an isolated incident out of proportion, Labour Minister V Sivankutty said after the discussion.
The tussle between CITU workers and SR Associates grabbed the headlines a few days ago as Muhammad Rabeeh had gone public announcing that he was forced to shut down his shop due to the agitation by union members.
He had also alleged that the CITU had threatened customers who tried to buy things from his shop. Rabeeh, who had returned from the Gulf following Covid crisis, had opened the shop at Mathamangalam on August 2, 2020. The problems started as CITU workers protested against Rabeeh for using his own workers for loading and unloading goods. Rabeeh approached the Kerala High Court to get a favourable verdict for using his own workers.
This had resulted in an open clash between the CITU and SR Associates. The situation escalated after local Muslim Youth League leader Muhammad Afsal was beaten up allegedly by CITU workers as he tried to buy iron pipes from the shop.
As the situation got worse, Rabeeh decided to shut operations and the media took up the issue causing embarrassment to the government, which has been boasting of bringing in an investor-friendly atmosphere in the state.
After minister Sivankutty intervened and asked the labour commissioner to resolve the issue, a meeting was held in Thiruvananthapuram.