Civic Volunteers Attacked

We strongly protest the illegal arrest, harassment and brutal lathi-charge of West Bengal Police administration against the Civic Volunteers in particular and unorganised sector workers as a whole.

The members of West Bengal Civic Police Association of Malda district, including state president Sanjoy Poria, assembled near Rathbari More, Malda Town to give deputation to the SP of Malda district today. Prior to this they informed the SP, DM, and IC of English Bazar Police Station of today’s programme.  

The Malda police administration refused to reinstate the Civic Volunteers of  Malda district. In spite of the fact that the GO no. 2573-PL/PB/3P-31/12 dated28/07/15 of special secretary of West Bengal clearly mentioned that only the old list of Civic Volunteers have to be enrolled for the re-appointment of Civic Volunteers.

The dismissed Civic Volunteers of Malda wrote letters to the respective Police Stations, protesting the administration to give deputation to SP with prior intimation. After they assembled, without any reason the police brutally lathi-charged causing severe injury to 75 civic volunteers and arrested more than 65 Civic Volunteers and confined them in English Bazar Police Station. 

Many of them severely beaten up by the police and became seriously ill. They were taken to the Hospital. The West Bengal Civic Police Association is a member of the 'Ossongothito Khetra Sramik Sangrami Mancha'. The mancha protests and condemns the illegal arrest, brutal lathi-charge, and harassment of civic volunteers by the police administration We demand:

1. Immediate release of all the arrested Civic Volunteers.
2. Immediate reinstatement of dismissed Civic Volunteers following the GO no. 2573-PL/PB/3P-31/12 dated28/07/15 of special secretary of West Bengal and  Hon'be Calcutta High Court Order.
3. Stop harassment and vicitimisation of Civic Volunteers.
4. Ensure guarantee of constitutional right of 'Right to Association'.

  Swapan Ganguly, Somenath Ghosh (Convernors)