The Shiv Sena on Saturday decided to call off the August 1 bandh over the issue of houses for textile mill workers following Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's positive response to it.
Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde, who held a joint press conference on Saturday, said that the bandh has been called off as the chief minister has responded positively to the issue.
However, Shiv Sena also said that if the government does not fulfill the promises in the next 2-3 months, the party would again give a call for bandh.
Opposition Shiv Sena and other parties have been demanding free houses for the workers of the defunct textile mills. Two days ago, during a rally of mill workers in Mumbai, Shiv Sena had called for a bandh to press for the demands.
"The chief minister has made his stand clear on the issue in the state assembly yesterday. Later, he also held a meeting with the representatives of mill-workers at his residence, which with positive outcome. Therefore, we have decided to call off the bandh as of now," Thackeray said.
"However, if the government does not adhere to the promises, we will have to think about a bandh at that time," he added.
Munde said, "Since Chavan has taken a positive decision on the issue and has sought two months time, which should be given."
One of the leaders of mill workers, Datta Iswalkar told mediapersons that a committee comprising Minister of State for Housing Sachin Ahir, officials of Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, State Labour department and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, along with representatives of mill workers, has been formed.
"The committee will take a decision on rates for the houses within two months, while a decision on land for construction of additional houses for the mill workers would be taken within three months," he added.
Thackeray however said, "We have not given up our demand of free houses to mill workers."
Senior journalist Jayashree Khadilkar, who has been spearheading the protests for the mill workers, said that the government has accepted their demands including allotment of houses to those, who were on the muster till January 1, 1982; houses to the legal heir of mill workers and also to those who already possess a house.
Iswalkar however said that the mill workers want houses only in Mumbai and not anywhere else.
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