Gurudas Dasgupta demands judical inquiry into Liberty lathicharge

Karnal, Jun 28 (UNI) Senior CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta today demanded a judicial probe into the lathi charge by the police on protesting workers of Liberty Footware Company here on Monday.

Mr Gupta, who was here to lodge his protest against the incident before the district administration, threatened to launch an agitation against what he termed the ''goondaism'' of the Haryana police and the ''atrocities committed by the administration at the behest of the Liberty owners''.

He told mediapersons that the inquiry should be conducted by a judge of a High Court, other than the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

'' I have no confidence in all that is Haryana'', he quipped.

Mr Gupta, also the General Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), refused to meet the Haryana Chief Minister, terming the government as ''henchmen of the capitalists''.

He charged the state government of acting in collusion with the capitalist and big industrialists in the state. He said that he would raise the issue before the Prime Minister.

The Liberty workers were protesting in a democratic way but the conduct of the Haryana police was nothing short of 'goondaism', he alleged.

Castigating the police for registering 'false' cases against the workers and raiding their houses, Mr Gupta said even terrorists were not dealt in such a manner. He said the trade unions fully support the demands of the agitating Liberty workers, including raise of wages and better service conditions.

The CPI leader who met Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Gupta demanded immediate release of the 52 workers, presently lodged in jail and the withdrawal of cases against 2000 odd workers. He also demanded the arrest of ''guilty'' Liberty management officials.

''If the matter was not settled within a week's time, an agitation on a bigger scale would be launched'', he threatened. Later he visited the jailed workers.

UNI XC HS YA HT1735