SUCI demands enquiry in Bhavnagar firing incident

Ahmedabad, Jul 7 (UNI) The Socialist Unity Centre of India's (SUCI) Gujarat Unit organising committee today submitted a memorandum to Governor Naval Kishore Sharma, demanding a high level enquiry into the firing by a private agency's security personnel on the agitating diamond workers in Bhavnagar, killing two of them yesterday.

SUCI Secretary Dwarika Nath Rath said the firing has raised serious questions about the power of security agencies in the state, which needs a high level enquiry. The culprit should be arrested and punished under the Indian Penal Code, he said.

SUCI requested the Governor to look into the matter of the poor diamond workers and urged him to expedite the hike in their wages and also give proper compensation to the family of the deceased. The injured workers should be treated properly and the cases against them withdrawn.

Mr Rath alleged that instead of dealing with the whole matter with a humanitarian angle, the diamond merchants have handled it roughly and taken law in their own hands.

He also alleged that the government is in league with the diamond merchants and against welfare of the workers. The anti-worker attitude of the government has led to arrests of many workers.

The private security guard opened fire at a mob of diamond workers yesterday, who were allegedly indulging in arson and stone pelting in Kumudwadi area of Bhavnagar.

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