JMM protests outside Tata Factories in Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers staged a protest outside three Tata-owned units on Wednesday over a recent proposal of Tata Cummins to shift its tax jurisdiction to Pune in Maharashtra.
JMM workers blocked the entrance gates of Tata Motors plant in Telco, Tata Steel plant in Bistupur, Tata Growth shop in Gamharia and Tata Steel Long Products Limited (TSPL) iron ore mines in Noamundi for 12 hours besides staging demonstrations outside Tata Cummins. The party workers were led by nine incumbent JMM legislators from Kolhan division.
During the peaceful sit-in, JMM demanded that Tata Sons shift its corporate head offices to Jamshedpur from Mumbai.
JMM lawmaker Ramdas Soren said: “Factories are operating here. So the headquarters should also be based here as it will fetch Jharkhand better revenues.” Baharagora MLA Sanjiv Sardar demanded that the conglomerate should fill up its vacancies by employing the adivasis and moolvasis of the state.
Jugsalai MLA Mangal Kalindi said: “At present, Tata Motors and several other companies procure ancillary products from other states depriving work to the local ancillary units.” The party leadership also appealed to Tata Cummins not to shift its PAN (permanent account number) jurisdiction.
JMM workers staged protest with bows, arrows and party banners and raised slogans. They were served khichdi and vegetables during lunch hours. The party had provisioned khichdi for 20,000 participants, a local worker said.
The conglomerate did not issue any statement till evening. The East Singhbhum administration, however, had pressed in a large number of police personnel and riot-control vehicles at the protest sites.
SSP M Tamil Vanan said that adequate security arrangements have been made for the gate jaam protest.
While Tata Group remained silent, local entrepreneurs reacted sharply to Wednesday’s protests. “At a time when the state government is making renewed efforts to fetch big ticket investments in the state, the protests will not send a good signal to the prospective investors,” Adityapur Small Industries Association (ASIA) president Santosh Khetan said.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) sought chief minister Hemant Soren’s intervention into the Tata Cummins issue.