Tea garden workers in Assam demand wage payment in cash

Tea garden workers in Assam today came out on the streets demanding restoration of their wage payment by cash as was prior to the demonetisation move by the Centre and restarting of their free ration provision.
Led by Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangh, slogan shouting tea garden workers came out across the state demanding that their weekly wages be paid in cash, a practice prevalent prior to demonetisation.
Congress leader and former union minister Paban Singh Ghatowar leading the protest told reporters that following the demonetisation move, the ration provisions given to tea garden workers for the last 60 years was suddenly stopped causing undue hardships for them.

"The BJP governments in state and the Centre are involved in this conspiracy to deprive the workers of their just dues," he alleged.
ACMS leaders holding placards during the protest march said, "Payment of wages through ATMs or cheques is unacceptable as most tea workers are illiterate and many of them are old and do not understand this new method of payment.
"We want our wages on the table as before," they demanded.