Porters protest at Charbagh: Coolies strike work, demand being absorbed as Rly staff

Porters from across the state protested at the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow on Thursday, demanding that they be accommodated as railway staff, the trolley system be banned immediately, and the carrying of goods on battery rickshaws.

Railway passengers had to face problems as the coolies stayed away from work and porter leaders from 75 districts of the state and from all over the country gathered under the banner of the All India Porter Union.

The men in red raised slogans and resolved to take forward the fight for their rights. The protesting porters also warned that if their demands were ignored, they would stop work across the country and prepare for a big movement. The protesters said that concrete steps must be taken to improve their condition.

Porter leader Fateh Mohammad said, “400 porter representatives from all over the country have come here and have raised their demands. If the government does not accept our demands, the porters will go on a one-day strike in Delhi.”

In their memorandum, the porters also demanded pensions for old porters, accident insurance benefits for them, and withdrawal of cases filed against porters in Prayagraj.

Fateh Mohammad said, “The employment of porters is ending rapidly due to escalators, lifts and e-rickshaws installed at railway stations. The station managers had said that e-rickshaws would be used for the disabled, sick, and elderly, but now, they are also being used to carry passengers’ luggage, which has hit the income of porters. The income has reduced so much that the children of porters are forced to leave studies.”

He added that there are 20,765 porters across the country and all are facing the same crisis, appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for support.