Varanasi boatmen called off their indefinite strike on Monday after the district administration and police agreed to withdraw the order of banning the boarding of passengers on boats from Dasaswamedh, Old Dasaswamedh and Rajendra Prasad ghats.
The police also decided to designate selected boatmen as `special police officers '(SPOs). These officer-cum-boatmen will be expected to keep a sharp vigil on the ghats.
The boatmen associated with Maa Ganga Nishadraj Seva Samiti had gone on indefinite strike after an order disallowing them from boarding passengers from these three ghats and keeping their boats 20-metre from the ghat steps. The order was issued as a part of security enhancement exercise started after December 7 blast on Old Dasaswamedh Ghat. The boatmen considered the move as an end to the livelihood of over 300 families. The boatmen of all the ghats decided to go on strike in support of the boatmen of those three ghats.
Hence the pilgrims and tourists, especially foreigners, had to bear the brunt of the strike. Boating on the Ganga for enjoying the beauty of the scenic ghats is a part of the itinerary of all tourists, especially the foreigners. But, due to the strike, hundreds of tourists were deprived of this enjoyment for two days. The boatmen left the boats tied to the ghat steps for the second consecutive day on Monday and held a sit-in on Dasaswamedh Ghat.
In the afternoon, DIG Prem Prakash met a delegation of MGNSS office-bearers at the Circuit House. During the meeting, the boatmen highlighted the problems they would face as a result of the ban. The officials also expressed security-related concerns. After a discussion, both the groups agreed to cooperate with each other.
The DIG said the boatmen were assured that they could continue boarding passengers from those three ghats. But, passengers picked up from other ghats would not be allowed to alight at those three ghats. The boatmen also assured the officials that they would also ensure that boatmen from other ghats were not taking passengers to those three ghats. The boatmen also agreed to tie their boats at a distance of 20-metre from the ghat steps. The DIG assured them that no policeman would harass the boatmen.
After the meeting, it was announced that the boatmen would return to work from Tuesday morning.
from The Times of India
