Balco suspends trade union leader

The management of the Sterlite group-owned Balco has suspended a prominent trade union leader from service for levelling allegations against group chairman Anil Agrawal.

Treating the action of Balco Karmachari Sangh general secretary and convenor of Balco Bachao Sanyukt Abhiyan Samiti, Rajendra Mishra as "service misconduct", the management suspended him from service yesterday, a Balco spokesman told here today.

Mishra had levelled allegation against Agrawal that he had violated the shareholding agreement with the government of India and "illegally" handed over the shares of Sterlite to another company.

In a statement on Sunday last, Mishra said he had also filed a complaint with police that Agrawal had violated the agreement and transferred the shares of Balco when he cannot do that for three years from March 2, 2001, the date of purchase of 51 per cent share of the aluminium giant and demanded action against him.

Meanwhile, several trade union leaders from BMS, CITU, AITUC and HMS, in a meeting here, expressed concern over the action of the management and termed it as "anti-labour" besides demanding withdrawal of suspension and threatened to resort to agitation.

The BJP-led government at the Centre had on March 2, 2001, sold 51 per cent share of the PSU to Sterlite for Rs 551.5 crore and it was agreed that the company would not change the service rule or hand over the share to any other companies for three years from March 2, 2001.