Manipur Barbers' Association raises call to stop extortion of daily wage earners
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 16 2024:
Manipur Barbers' Association (MBA) convened a general body meeting at Irawat Bhawan located at BT Road today to address the harassment and extortion faced by daily wage earning barbers.
MBA is affiliated to the AITUC (All India Trade Union Congress), Manipur State Committee.
Held under the banner of "Stop extortion, stop harassment, we are poor daily wage workers", the meeting was graced by L Sotinkumar, president, MBA; Kh Shamungou Singh, secretary, AITUC Manipur; Pappu Thakur, general secretary, MBA and Om Prakash Thakur, treasurer, MBA.
Addressing the gathering, L Sotinkumar asserted that the State Government has failed to protect the daily wage workers and various trade unions, federations and associations are in distress due to numerous demands for money.
Stating that barbers are the worst affected by extortion, he added that they receive innumerable monetary demands and non-payment often results in being intimidated with hand grenades, bullets, guns and so on.
Maintaining that AITUC has also faced such threats, he expressed grief at this state of affairs prevailing in a democratic country.
Denouncing the extortion of daily wage earning barbers, L Sotinkumar stated that they will mount pressure on the State Government to afford some protection to the barbers and give them the right to work freely.
Highlighting the large number of daily wage workers in the State, he stressed that the State Government has neither taken up any developmental initiatives for them, nor has any political party included them in their election manifesto.
Kh Shamungou, AITUC secretary also made an appeal to stop extorting barbers.