Processors on the warpath

SURAT, Oct 4: After a lull of about four months, processors in Surat are again heading for a confrontation with the Central Excise depart...

SURAT, Oct 4: After a lull of about four months, processors in Surat are again heading for a confrontation with the Central Excise department. This time over the department8217;s order bringing back to division II, an officer of the rank of assistant commissioner.

The processors8217; agitation had resulted in the officer being transferred to another division in May. Now that the same officer is back in his original posting, they are again preparing to take to the streets.

The South Gujarat Textile Processors8217; Association in a letter, a copy of which is issued to the press, to Member Excise of the Central Board of Excise and Customs D R Chakraborty recalled the meeting processors had with him and Chief Commissioner G Sarangi, former Surat commissioner P V Vidyanathan and Surat Commissioner Gurbax Singh at Surat on May 9.

The meeting was held in the wake of a series of complaints against the officer, whom processors accused of creating an atmosphere of terror in the industry by 8220;revengeful attitude and inhuman behaviour with the assesses,8221; the letter signed by association president C R Patil said. The officer was then transferred at the association8217;s behest.

There was no apparent tension between the Excise department and processors since then. However, when they they learnt that the officer was in the process of being sent back to division II they have decided to resume their fight, threatening that if the transfer comes through it will lead to renewed confrontation and disturb the peace prevailing in the industry.

In another letter to Union Textile Minister Kashiram Rana, the association sought his intervention asking him to take up the matter with the department at his level. Patil claimed that the officer in question was using Rana8217;s name saying that the Union Minister had no problem with him.

It may be recalled that the processors and the Excise officials used to level allegations against each other. The relations between the two worsened following raids at a couple of process houses wherein employees alleged harassment by the raiding parties.

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When Rana8217;s son got married there were reports that the Excise officials had sent photographs and videotapes of the elaborate ceremony to Income Tax department and Central Bureau of Investigation alleging that the extravagant affair was funded by processors.

Situation improved with the transfer of a couple of officials after a rally taken out by processors to the Excise office premises and setting up of a committee, with representatives from either side, to inquire into complaints of harassment.