HMI Strike

Darjeeling: The army and civilian staff members of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute are gearing up for a showdown, with the Hill Employees’ Association declaring a series of agitation programmes including a three-day general strike in August.

Fresh trouble erupted after two civilian employees, Bijay Rai and Krishna Rasaily, were arrested last week for not submitting Rs 12,000 — the amount collected by renting out HMI equipment — to the cashier of the institute.

The HEA (N.B. Singh Road faction) maintains that the two employees were framed. For the past couple of years, the association has been demanding that only the principal, vice-principal and the doctor of the institute be recruited from the army.

As part of their demand, and as protest against the arrests, the HEA has announced a series of agitation programmes including a three-day general strike in the hills starting August 22.

The dates of other protests announced by the association include:

• Sloganeering during lunch break on HMI premises till July 23

• lPen down strike at HMI on July 24

• One day token strike at HMI on July 27

• Hunger strike at HMI by representatives of the central and mahakuma samities of the HEA on July 30

• Two-day token strike at HMI on August 6-7

• Three-day general strike in the hills on August 22-24

“But in the light of recent incidents, we now demand that even principal Col J.S. Dhillon and vice-principal Maj. Vibhav be replaced,” said N.B. Kalikoti, general secretary, HEA (N.B. Singh Road faction).

The association has also written to defence minister and president of the HMI A.K. Anthony, Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who is the vice-president of the institute, and other officials, communicating their protest programme.

Since the HMI consists of 56 civilian staff members as against the 15 army personnel, the protests are expected to cripple work. “However, courses usually start only from September 15,” said a source.

Dhillon could not be contacted.

Source: The Telegraph