Video| Face-off between two labour unions continues in Mansa

The rivalry between two labour unions, one backed by CPI(ML) Liberation, and another by a private NGO, Volunteer for Social Justice (VSJ) , intensified when AAP leader and Dalit icon Bant Singh Jhabbar attacked CPI(ML) Liberation for exploiting the cause of labourers for political mileage.

The labour wing of CPI(ML) Liberation and VSJ are at loggerheads after a minor migrant labourer was allegedly molested and a molestation case was filed against nine people last week.

Later VSJ volunteers helped the accused to file a cross case of molestation against five people, including the victim's family members. Jhabbar, who had recently quit CPI(ML)Liberation, accused the senior leaders of his earstwhile party for collecting lakhs from donors for his treatment and later dumping him when he needed them the most. "The comrades took me for granted and gulped down every single penny collected from donors for my treatment. Except a sum of Rs14 lakh given by the state govt of Captain Amarinder Singh and Tehelka magazine, I have not received a single penny," he said.

Watch video:

He accused the Liberation leaders of assisting a local SAD leader in grabbing his land. "The comrades collect money from labourers and anyone who invites them to settle their dispute. They had requested me not to bad mouth them after joining the AAP, but I could only wait till the elections. The comrades are simply minting money under the garb of raising issues of labourers."

Surprisingly, Bant was not accompanied by any AAP leader during the press conference. "I lost my limbs during the Congress regime and lost my plot under the SAD regime with comrades assisting the Akali leader in the land grabbing," said Bant.

Meanwhile state member of CPI (ML) Liberation Sukhdardhan Singh Natt refuted the allegations levelled by Bant. "Nobody has donated in cash and every cheque we had received was deposited in Bant's bank account. As far as supporting the SAD leader is concerned it is a lie spread by Bant. We are working for farmers and labourers and there is no point extending our support to the Akali leader," said Natt.

Watch video :

He added that his party does accept donation from labourers unlike NGOs who receive funds from the government. "We work for the labourers and do charge them for our services. We are not running an NGO like VSJ which is funded by different governments," said Natt.

VSJ has been operating for years to rescue bonded labourers working in brick- kilns. They developed a rivalry with the labour wing of CPI(ML) Liberation after complaining against a brick-kiln owner, close to Liberation leaders. With Bant extending his support to the NGO and continuing his tirade against his former colleagues, the fight seems to get more intense in the coming days.