Allegations of Wage Fraud, Overwork, and Unsafe Conditions Raised by Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha
Published on: May 17, 2025
By: BTI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
The protest by laborers at the Food Corporation of India (FCI) depot in Rajnandgaon entered its third day, with no resolution in sight. Workers, backed by the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (CMM), have alleged serious exploitation by the management and contractors.
At the heart of the issue lies the alleged replacement of 58 regular workers with only 38, forcing them to take on excessive workloads. The protestors claim this is a deliberate attempt to siphon off wages intended for the rest of the workforce. CMM leaders also accused the contractor of paying unfairly low piece rates to four out of twelve worker gangs, despite a uniform tender rate being agreed upon.
“While 12 gangs with 158 laborers are being paid ₹6.50 per unit of work, four gangs comprising 56 workers are paid ₹0.85 less per unit. This is a clear case of embezzlement,” said CMM President Bhimrao Bagde, addressing the gathering.
The protesting workers also raised concerns over:
- Forced overtime from 9 AM to as late as 11 PM without compensation.
- Hazardous conditions, with chemical-spraying workers not being provided basic protective gear.
- Unjust workload pressure, with six laborers being made to perform tasks meant for ten.
“This is not governance, this is oppression,” said Bagde. “While the government celebrates ‘Good Governance Week,’ workers are being exploited on the ground.” He demanded immediate intervention from the district administration and strict enforcement of labor laws.
Also read- https://www.btnewsindia.com/speaker-dr-raman-singh-joins-su-shasan-tihar-in-rajnandgaon-distributes-benefits-at-massive-public-grievance-camp/ https://www.btnewsindia.com/cm-vishnu-deo-sais-stern-directive-ensure-on-ground-governance-timely-revenue-courts-and-visible-public-satisfaction/
Other union leaders including A.G. Qureshi, Loknath Sonkar, Khemchand Sahu, Leeladhar Sahu, Ram Paswan, and Nirmala Sahu also addressed the protest. The gathering was moderated by Tusli Devdas and Poonaram Sahu.
The protest is expected to continue until authorities respond with concrete action.
