Protesters said Indian Railways has not inducted them despite working on meagre salaries for 3-4 years
It took a month's planning for thousands of apprentice who converged at Dadar-Matunga on Central Railway condcuted a rail roko on Tuesday. The main plaint of the protesters was that Indian Railways have not inducted them despite working for meagre salaries 3-4 years in the railways.
The people want the railways to abolish the 20 percent quota system and instead recruit all the 21000 apprentice across various workshops and production units on Indian Railways. Vivek Sonawane (23), who hails from Bhusawal and sustained head injuries in the lathi charge said, “I am working in the bogie department with a meagre salary of Rs.1800. Despite passing all necessary exams, am still an apprentice while railways are appointing people from outside”.
Nearly 2000 people coordinated from various states including Maharashtra, Bihar, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and came to Dadar, Kalyan on March 19-20. These people stayed back in small groups at station premises, platforms or outside. These people had decided to march or converge between Matunga and Dadar stations on rail tracks.
The protestors also spelled out as to why they chose Dadar- Matunga tracks for the protest.
“We heard that rail minister Goyal stayed in Matunga. Plus Dadar is a vital railway station. So we wanted to prove a point of our desperation,” said Pravin Pachpande who works at Dahod.
Meanwhile Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal tried to placate the protestors with a statement. “We have come out with a policy to ensure a fair and competitive recruitment process. Indian Railways have already reserved 20 percent posts for Course Completed Act Apprentices who were engaged in Railway establishments under the Apprenticeship Act. I appeal to all the youth to apply for these large number of jobs, for which the last date of application is March 31”.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Rail Roko")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}