Stop treating us as bonded labourers: GISF

As the Gujarat Industrial Security Force (GISF) employees' fast entered the 9th day, they have asked the governor and labour commissioner to intervene in the matter. In a memorandum submitted to the governor on Wednesday, they have requested the state's constitutional head to ask the chief secretary  to arrive at a solution as early as possible.

According to Amrish Patel, president of Gujarat Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU), the health of the fasting employees is deteriorating yet the government has not bothered to address their issue.

"This is not about pay hike; it's about getting minimum wages. The government cannot run away from its responsibility," said Patel, who also handed over a memorandum to the labour commissioner . He further said that one of the hospitalised GISF jawans is critical, 126 jawans have already been hospitalised.
Earlier, on Wednesday, more than 3000 GISF employees fasting near Pathik Ashram in Gandhinagar decided to hold a rally and march towards labour commissioner's office at Udyog Bhavan. Gandhinagar police, had however, denied them the permission for the march.

In the memorandum, GFTU has alleged that the commissioner is not doing enough and this has forced the jawans to work like bonded labourers.