BJP's promise of Bengal tea worker wage hike false; it did not keep pledge in Assam: Tea trade union leader

The BJP's vow to increase the minimum wage of tea garden workers in West Bengal to Rs 350 is false, as the party did not keep a similar promise made to tea labourers of Assam five years ago, a tea trade union leader claimed.

The saffron party in its West Bengal assembly election manifesto released on Sunday said that the daily wage of tea workers will be raised to Rs 350. Currently, tea garden workers of the state get a minimum daily wage of Rs 202.

Read: Reservation for women, implementation of CAA: Key takeaways from BJP's West Bengal poll manifesto

"The BJP manifesto for the 2016 assembly election in Assam had promised tea workers a minimum wage of Rs 351.33. The party won the poll but failed to implement it. So, this announcement for West Bengal is a pure bluff," Tea Workers joint Forum Committee leader Ziaul Alam told PTI.

Ahead of the assembly election, the BJP-led government in Assam last month approved a proposal to increase the daily wage of tea garden workers in the state by Rs 50 to Rs 217. The Gauhati High Court, however, has put a stay on the move.

Authorities of tea gardens in West Bengal, however, expressed concern over the announcement saying that the wage hike will push the cost significantly and gardens may become sick.