DERGAON, Aug 27 - Following the direction of the central committee of the Assam Tea Tribe Students� Association (ATTSA), the Dergaon branch in association with the Badulipar, Rangamati, Negheriting, Doria and Rangagara branches, staged a protest at Badulipar Tea Estate on Tuesday, demanding a holiday to celebrate agricultural festival Karam Puja.
The student body said that the state has around 1.40 lakh tea tribe people for which the government should declare a holiday to celebrate the festival. The protest was attended by ATTSA central leader Umasankar Kurmi, district leader Rabul Turi, Subhash Rajak, Jibon Mirdha, Pradip Kurmi, Dayaram Ravidas and Pranab Mirdha.
Demand for wage hike: The student body also staged a two hour sit-in demanding wage hike for tea garden workers. After the protest, they sent a memorandum to the Managing Director of the Assam Tea Corporation. Jayanta Kurmi, a leader, said the government has turned a blind eye to the plight of tea garden workers, and threatened to launch a vigorous agitation.
