CITU demands CBI inquiry into murder of union leader

Allahabad, May 31 (UNI) The Centre for Indian Trade Union (CITU) today demanded a CBI inquiry into the murder of trade union leader Amrendra Kumar Pandey on March 24.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Deepankar Mukherjee, the national secretary of the CITU and member of parliament, said the murder of a union leader, who was also the president of a glass factory, was a serious matter and demanded that the culprits be brought to book.

No action was taken aganist the culprits as there was a nexus among the factory owner, police and administration, he alleged.

Mr Mukherjee, in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, said that it was the duty of the government to 'unmask the real face of the conspirators'. The culprits must be brought to book and the right of the workers should not be crushed by money power, he added.

The mill owner was threatening Pandey with dire consequences for the last several years, Mr Mukherjee said. If the state government wanted to maintain its credibility it must punish the culprits and pay adequate compensation to the bereaved family members, he added.

So far, four active members of the union have become victims to the factory owner's conspiracy and there was great resentment and anger among the workers, he alleged.

Pandey was murdered by two unidentified persons near the factroy gate. Police had arrested two persons in this connection and FIRs have been lodged against the managing director and two managers of the factory.

Eventhough we are supporting the Mulayam Singh government, there is no compromise on the interest of the workers, he said and added that politics and trade union are two separate things.

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