Reacting to the government's decision to permanently shut down the two paper mills in Assam, president of Cachar Paper Project Workers' Union (CPPWU) Manabendra Chakraborty on Tuesday said, "Union Heavy Minister Arvind Sawant's statement is false and wrong."

"His statement is based on the May 2, 2019, National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) order. But we appealed against the order and accordingly National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on May 29, 2019, ordered that the service of the mills should continue as going concern (running units) and their employees/workers should attend their duties as usual. The court also said that if the liquidation is carried out at all, a third party should be involved in the process."

Chakraborty said that the Union Minister's statement should have been based on the May 29, 2019, NCLAT order.

He also said that the minister is either being misled or he is misleading the nation.

"We urge the government to revoke their statement," said the CPPWU president, adding that they would approach the Supreme Court and intensify their agitation.

"The government must respect the court's order as it is not above the law," Chakraborty further said in an exclusive interview with Pratidin Time.

It may be mentioned here that the two mills, Cachar Paper Mill and Nagaon Paper Mill, have been lying non-functional since October 2015 and March 2017 respectively. Their workers have not received salaries for more than two-and-a-half years.