Dumka: Alleged foul play by a dismissed trainer of a Salesian Vocational Training Institute (VTI) in Jharkhand, eastern India, has led to job loss for 14 young people and defamation of their director.
In protest, local people in Dumka held a meeting on March 4 and have decided to give a press release condemning journalists and the media for defaming VTI and its director. The assembly also decided to hold a press conference on March 8.
People also decided that 14 on-job trainees who lost employment will demand government to give them jobs or compensation. They also threatened to stage a sit in demonstration in front of the District Collector’s office until their demands are met.
The incident unfolded on February 26, when Salesian Brother Johny Thaiparambil of Kolkata province accompanied 11 men and 3 women, who were trainees of St Joseph’s VTI, to Alwaye, Kerala, for on-job training cum placement.
When the group arrived at Jaisidi junction, Government Railway Police (GRP), who came along with District Superintendent of Police, Sub Divisional Officer, and many media persons, barred them from boarding the Patna–Ernakulam Express on charges of ‘human trafficking.’
The group was then taken to the waiting room in the station and the police checked each person’s identity, age proof, training certificate and job placement offer letter.
After 8 hours, the group was allowed to leave the station since the GRP and railway administration could not find any irregularities, Brother Thaiparampil said.
In the meantime, Deoghar Labour Officer accused the Salesian brother of not availing of the Interstate Migration Certificate for accompanying the students, and asked all of them to appear before the Labor Court.
“One officer pointed to my small cross on my pocket and said, ‘this is the cause of all the trouble’,” Brother Thaiparampil narrated his ordeal.
Another officer asked him if he was trying to convert the young people into Christianity. “Out of 14 young people in the group, 8 are Christians,” the brother pointed out. At around 2.00 am the group was given shelter at St. Assisi School Jaisidi.
The Salesian said a woman instructor he had terminated might have played mischief. “She had challenged to put us into trouble,” the brother said. At the station, one of the officers told the brother that a woman had informed them that the Salesian was trafficking 40 children from Dumka. “One lady has given us wrong information,” the officer told the brother.
On February 27, Brother Thaiparampil and the trainees appeared in the labor court that settled the matter by 5.00 pm. The group returned to VTI, Dumka.
On the following day, as the brother prepared to appear once again at the SDO’s office, the officer allegedly threatened everyone saying that “I want to arrest Johny (Thaiparampil) and put him behind bar.”
The Salesians sent Brother Thaiparampil to their community in Joypur in West Bengal states, some 230 km south of Dumka. He stayed there for two days until Salesian Fathers Scaria Nedumattathil from Chandrakona and Alex Topno from Dumka met the District Collector of Deoghar.
The magistrate assured the duo that the administration would drop some cases against Brother Thaiparampil. However, he had to appear in the court to avail anticipatory bail.
Brother Thaiparampil returned to Dumka on March 4. “In this season of lent the Lord is giving chance to come close to Hi,” he wrote to his provinical.
The administration in Jharkhand seems to be scrutinizing people going or coming from Kerala.