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| Ex-minister allegedly forces youth for 'bonded labour' | | Takes police help to 'coerce' youth | | Sumit Sharma
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, June 22: Despite the existence of Article 23 of the Constitution, section 374 of IPC and Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act (BAL) of 1976, for eliminating bonded labour, the practice it seems continues even today in the state.
Ironically, the menace of 'bonded labour' is being pursued by none other than a senior politician who took police help to 'coerce' a youth working at his place for the last five years as a domestic help, not to leave the job.
The incident of 'forceful employment' came to light when an ex-minister allegedly forced a youth to stay put as a domestic help at his city based residence despite latter's persuasion to permanently go back to his native place.
However, refusal of the servant of the VIP costs him theft allegation and police torture in the process.
Highly placed sources informed that, the youth Jagdish Chander son of Dharam Chand resident of far flung village Koldi Anshu in district Udhampur, was lifted by police on the insistence of an ex-minister after he alleged that his servant stole his two gold rings and a gold chain in the year 2009 from his residence. Acting on the complaint, police lifted the youth, who is also a daily wager in Power Development Department, from the residence of the former minister and after torturing the 'innocent' youth handed him over to his employer- the ex-minister.
Sources further informed that during interrogation of youth in Rehari police post he divulged that he was working at the residence of the ex-minister for the last five years without any salary.
The youth, whose marriage is scheduled to be held on July 7, told police that the former minister and his wife gave him two rings and a gold chain on the marriage ceremony of his sister held in the year 2009 on their own free will as a good will gesture.
Jagdish further informed that when he told his employer that he would not continue his service owing to his family compulsions, the furious master, asked him that he would snatch his PDD job and called up police.
However, in stead of coming to the rescue of the youth, the police tortured the youth and warned him of dire consequences if he left the 'service' of ex-minister.
Later, the men in khaki dropped him at the former minister's residence.
However, when contacted SDPO City, Shamsher Singh Sambyal informed that the youth was lifted on the complaint of theft by ex-minister and was released later after questioning. |
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