An appeal to Students and Youth!
JOIN THE HUNGER STRIKE OF THE STRUGGLING HONDA WORKERS AT JANTAR MANTAR ON 19 SEPTEMBER 2016!
Students-Workers Unity Long Live!
Friends!
Honda workers from Tapukheda, Rajasthan are going to sit on an indefinite hunger strike from 19 Sept 2016 at Jantar Mantar. The Honda workers have been fighting valiantly since February 2016 after the Honda administration illegally terminated more than 3000 workers when they raised the demand of unionizing the workers. The struggle of Honda workers is an extremely important workers struggle of our times because it is a burning example of how Fascism persecutes the working class and tries to crush their movements with an iron fist while selling rhetorics like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ to the entire world. But the Honda workers are braving all attacks from the Fascist regime and have now resolved to take their fight to the next level by sitting on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on 19 September 2016.
The Struggle of Honda workers began on 16 Feb 2016 when a Supervisor forced an ill worker to work. When the worker refused to work the supervisor beat him up. To protest against this injustice the workers went on strike the same day. The tension has been brewing between the Workers and the Honda Management ever since the workers raised their demand of forming a Union, which the management was in opposition to from the beginning. The Honda Management tried to stall the process of Union registration with the collusion of Rajasthan Labour Department. Rajasthan Police at the behest of the Honda Management brutally lathicharged the peacefully striking workers. And the cycle of repression has been going on ever since. The Police-Management nexus prevented the workers from organizing any protests. To protest against this the workers and took out a massive rally on 19 February 2016 in which more than 5000 workers marched from Tau Devilal Park in Gurgaon to the Honda Head Office and began their sit in demonstration, fearing a strong mobilisation from the workers of the automobile industry belt the Police acting at the behest of the management, the very next day forced the workers to disperse under the garb of Sec 144. The workers gain tried to gather and protest peacefully in Tapukhera, Alwar, Dharuheda and Jaipur but the nexus of Management and Police administration didnt let the workers hold any protests and as a measure of deterrence slapped concocted and false charges on the workers in a bid to discourage them from protesting. Wherever the workers tried to protest or assemble, they were brutally lathi-charged and arrested. The movement of Honda Workers faced brutal repression by the State. The BJP-led Rajasthan Government wanted to present an example before the Capitalists and Factory owners that they wont let workers cause any trouble to the Factory owners. Inspite of facing such brutal repression by the state the movement of Honda workers grew stronger and the workers kept fighting for their just rights. The Honda Workers are going to sit on a hunger strike on 19 Sept 2016 at Jantar Mantar, as a conscientious individual we must support and stand with the workers in their struggle. The demands of the workers are:
1. All the terminated and suspended workers be reinstated.
2. All Legal and criminal cases against the workers be quashed.
We appeal to all the students and youth to lend their support and stand in solidarity with the struggling Honda Workers. Reach Jantar Mantar on 19 September in a show of solidarity with the workers and spread the word around to mobilize and ensure maximum participation. We the students who get access to education and come to universities to gain not just bookish knowledge but to educate ourselves with the ethos of Liberty, Democracy and Equality cannot be mere mute spectators to the brutal repression of workers and their struggles. The student community has always been vocal against any kinds of barbaric oppression and repression in history and even in the present times. The last one year has seen enormous mass of protests across the length and breadth of the country by students against all kinds of attack on democratic rights and oppression. The student and Youth community in Delhi particularly took to the streets protesting against the attacks and political murders of rationalists like Pansare, Dabholkar, Kalburgi, Dadri lynching, atrocities against dalits, StandwithJNU and other protests. The Students of this country have time and again show tremendous promise in being the harbingers of change. The students will not stand in silence while the barbaric repressive state crushes the workers struggle with its shear force and muzzles their rights.
WE NEED TO STAND WITH THE HONDA WORKERS!
This movement holds enormous relevance in the struggle against the exploitative state machinery today. We need to come out in support of the Honda workers in large numbers as these workers form the section which face the blunt of the most brutal forms of oppression at the hands of capitalist state machinery. Another shocking fact that has come forward is the change in the name of university metro station from ‘Vishwavidyalaya’ to ‘Honda 2-Wheeler Vishwavidyalaya station’ which reflects the vulgar audacity of the government which can go to any limits for proving their loyality to the corporate houses. It is the same government that is ostracizing the Honda workers. Today, we need to realize that water tight compartmentalization of our struggles will prove to be a deterrent in the path of realization of our goals. Students-Workers Unity will deal the final conclusive blow to oppressive regime.
As any struggle needs resources, this struggle as well needs resources and we appeal to you to contribute generously with the sense of sacrifice for the Honda workers struggle. Contributions can be sent to following Bank Account:
SONU KUMAR
ACC. NO. 114501505870
ICICI BANK,
UDYOG VIHAR, GURGAON BRANCH
IFSC CODE—001145
Please send a message to this number 08950743351 (Sonu, Vice President of Honda 2F Kamgaar Samuh) or mail at hondauniontapukara@gmail.com after you make a contribution, and for any further details.
STAND WITH HONDA WORKERS. SUPPORT THEIR STRUGGLE.
JOIN IN SOLIDARITY!
Join Indefinite Hunger Strike of Honda Workers
Date: 19th September 2016
Time: 11.00 a.m
Organized by:
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter 2F Union
An appeal by:
Disha Students Organization
