Contractual workers of Alembic Pharmaceutical Company from Samardung in South Sikkim staged a protest rally on Saturday against the company for not complying with the demands with heads shaved and clad in funeral clothing.
They have placed their demands on February 13 last and the workers have been in protest since February 26 at Shram Bhawan at Lingding in demand for the Labour department to play mediator between the workers and the pharma company, according to reports.
But, with no solution on sight, the protestors intensified their protest by tonsuring their heads and had set out on a foot march clad in funeral clothing from Shram Bhawan to MG Marg on Friday evening.
The protest was to symbolize, as they said, ‘death of democracy and state administration’.
However, the protest march was halted at two specific junctures by the Sikkim Police, since they had not taken permission to hold the protest march.
The first stoppage was done at Deorali outpost where they had reached around 5:15 pm and after deliberation, they were allowed to continue their protest.
Following the permission by Sikkim Police, they continued their foot march until they were stopped at Seesa Golai by Sikkim Police and IRBn.
The protestors were of the view that the State Labour Department needs to intervene on the matter with stricter laws to avoid such altercation from happening in the future between workers and company officials.
They were of the view that the companies must enact rules wherein contractual workers are not harassed physically and mentally.
The employees said their demands were up-gradation of house rent allowances and medical facilities apart from few others.