The Dharmanagar Sub-Divisional Committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Monday submitted a memorandum to the station manager of Dharmanagar Railway station, demanding protection of the livelihood rights of railway hawkers and small traders and an immediate halt to eviction drives without proper rehabilitation.
The CITU on Monday have also organized protest in other parts of the state against eviction railway footpath hawkers in Kolkata’s Sealdah, Damdam and Jadavpur railway stations
In the memorandum, CITU leaders alleged that poor and marginalized people, who have been living and earning their livelihoods in and around railway station areas across the country for many years, are being evicted without any proper rehabilitation arrangements.
The trade union also expressed concern over alleged police excesses and mass arrests of ordinary people and workers who participated in peaceful protests against the eviction drives.
CITU placed a four-point charter of demands, which includes no eviction drive should be carried out without proper rehabilitation, and the ongoing eviction drives should be stopped immediately.
Humanitarian and permanent rehabilitation of the evicted families must be ensured and an impartial inquiry should be conducted into incidents of police excesses against protesters, and action should be taken against those responsible, said that CITU demands.
They also demanded that all cases filed against persons associated with the movement should be withdrawn and their unconditional release ensured.
CITU leaders said that their movement to safeguard the interests of workers, hawkers and small traders would continue in the future until their demands are met.