Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee on Saturday accused minister of state for heavy industries, Bhupathiraju Srinivas Varma, of making misleading statements in Parliament regarding the status of crèche facilities in Andrew Yule-run tea gardens in the Dooars.
Mr Banerjee had raised a question in the Rajya Sabha, asking whether it was a fact that no functional crèche houses exist in Karbala, New Dooars, Banarhat, and Choonabhutti tea estates. He sought details if the crèches were operational and explanations if they were not.
In response, the minister claimed that five crèche facilities were operational across the four tea gardens. Addressing reporters today, Mr Banerjee refuted the minister’s claim and alleged that the information provided in the House was “entirely false.”
The MP, who had earlier visited the tea gardens and held meetings with workers, displayed photographs of the alleged crèche facilities, describing them as “dilapidated structures resembling cowsheds” and said they were “non-functional in reality.”
He strongly criticised the Centre and the Andrew Yule management, saying, “The crèches are just on paper. The reality reflects the neglect and apathy towards tea garden workers.”
Mr Banerjee, who also heads the INTTUC-backed Trinamul Cha Bagan Shramik Union, added that the West Bengal government is ready to establish proper crèche facilities in these estates if Andrew Yule provides a No Objection Certificate (NOC). “The state labour department is willing to act, but the gardens must cooperate,” he said.
He further alleged that the Central PSU-run tea gardens are failing to serve the welfare interests of workers in the Dooars region.