Hunger strike against cloth mill lockout

Indore, Feb 21 (UNI) More than 600 labourers, who are on hunger strike in the state capital to protest the lockout at Maral Overseas cloth mill in Khargone district, would 'gherao' the Legislative Assembly on February 26.

''The state government had declared the lockout as 'illegal' but no action was taken against the management for not reopening the mill,'' Maral Overseas Joint Trade Union Morcha (MOJTUM) President Rajaram Salvi said here today. He said due to the lockout since December and non-payment of wages, the labourers were facing starvation.

Mr Salvi alleged that city-based Labour Commissioner was least interested to safeguard the interests of laborers.

The hunger strike began at Shah Jehani Park area of Bhopal on February 19 and MOJTUM also handed over a memorandum regarding their demands to the Chief Minister on that day.

UNI AA-KV SP 1341