Fri Jan 03 14:25:28 UTC 2025: ## Tea Union Leader Faces Arrest After Wage Protest in West Bengal
**Siliguri, West Bengal –** A union leader is facing arrest after a protest over delayed wages at a tea garden in West Bengal. Kirsen Kheria, a central committee member of the Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity (PBCMS), a union representing tea garden workers, has been charged with attempt to murder, among other serious offenses, following a Christmas Eve demonstration at the Kilkote Tea Garden.
The protest, which involved a confrontation between workers and management, erupted due to alleged persistent delays in wage payments. Mr. Kheria denies being present at the scene of the altercation and has sought anticipatory bail. He claims the charges, which include non-bailable offenses, are fabricated. The union alleges that irregularities in wage payments began after a change in management at the Kilkote Tea Garden.
The PBCMS is demanding the immediate withdrawal of the charges against its leader and other workers, action against the Kilkote management for alleged violations of Provident Fund laws, and a restoration of industrial peace. The union highlights a wider problem of wage delays and non-payment across numerous tea gardens in the Dooars region, leading to financial hardship and even deaths among workers.
The situation underscores the ongoing struggles faced by tea garden workers in West Bengal, many of whom work in struggling or closed gardens. The PBCMS recently issued a press release highlighting the devastating consequences of persistent wage delays, including hunger-related deaths. The West Bengal government recently introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for abandoned tea gardens, aiming to address some of these issues. However, the incident at Kilkote Tea Garden demonstrates the continued challenges in ensuring fair treatment and timely wages for these workers.
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