Tata trashes ‘bias’ slur

Jamshedpur, Nov. 17: Automobile major Tata Motors today clarified its stand on “pro-Marathi” allegations levelled against it by members of Bharatiya Bhojpuri Sangh, an outfit backed by the Bhojpuri speaking population of the city.

“The claims made by Bharatiya Bhojpuri Sangh are rather ludicrous. Tata Motors’ Jamshedpur plant does not have temporary Marathi workers. The temporary workmen are wards of the employees who were trained by the company under the Tata Motors Skill Training Programme,” said Debasis Ray, the head of corporate communications, in a statement from Mumbai.

As and when permanent positions opened up, Ray said, such temporary workmen were absorbed into the company. The company had absorbed about 250 such individuals this year.

In 2007-08, about 422 such workmen were taken on permanent rolls and the year prior to that the number was 300.

Ray also pointed out that vendors from all over India supported the Jamshedpur plant. Altogether, 157 vendors were based in the state.

“It is in our interest to buy from local vendors because of cost and time advantage. We gain nothing by stopping supplies from local vendors,” he added.

Reacting to allegations that the contract for the company canteen had been given to a Maharashtra-based agency, Ray said: “The canteen at the plant is run by RKHS Hospitalities, which manages several big industrial canteens in Volvo, Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar and Bajaj Auto plants.”

The company spokesperson maintained that the Tata Group was not influenced by religion, caste, creed and language and that the Jamshedpur plant of Tata Motors, proudly upheld that principle.

Sangh president Anand Bihari Dubey, who on Saturday had alleged that the company was favouring Marathi-speaking temporary workers, claimed he had ample proof of the allegations.

“I am ready for a probe by the district administration on the issue,”he said.
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