Struggling Jute Mill Workers Seek Hope in Upcoming Elections
Amirul Laskar, a 40-year-old former employee of the Delta Jute Mill in Manikpur village near Kolkata, has been unemployed for three months after the mill ceased operations due to financial difficulties. This closure has left Laskar struggling to support his household, which includes his parents, wife, and 18-month-old daughter. He mentions that similar disruptions happened several times last year, but the situation has not improved this year. Desperate to sustain his family, Laskar is considering moving to another state for work.
Laskar is one of 4,000 workers affected by the mill’s shutdown in February. The jute industry, known as the golden fibre, is a crucial economic sector in West Bengal, providing livelihoods for approximately 4.8 million people, including four million farmers. India is the largest producer of jute globally, meeting 95% of its domestic demand and exporting the rest. Despite the industry’s importance, workers and their families feel neglected, receiving political attention only during election times.
As national elections near, with polls scheduled in West Bengal’s jute belt on May 20, political tensions rise. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are competing against the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), a coalition led by the Indian National Congress. Modi has blamed the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the state’s ruling party, for the industry’s decline and workers’ hardships. He also pointed out the federal government’s mandate for grain packing in jute bags as a measure to boost the industry.
However, workers like Laskar hold both the TMC and BJP responsible for their plight. They feel abandoned, noting that politicians rarely visit them after elections. Laskar recalls the last politician’s visit more than a decade ago during the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) rule. Disillusioned, he intends to vote for the CPIM this time. Asma Khatun, the wife of another mill worker, describes their living conditions as dire, with overflowing drains and sewage entering homes during heavy rains, making the environment unbearable and causing frequent illnesses.
Local leaders confirm that such poor conditions are common across jute mills. CPIM leader Kayum Sheikh criticizes mill owners for ignoring hygiene, highlighting issues like leaking pipes, garbage, and even power cuts after mill closures. Workers report that mainstream candidates have avoided seeking their votes, likely fearing their anger. However, the CPIM candidate has promised to address their problems, offering a glimmer of hope to the disenfranchised mill workers.
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