Suresh Shyamlal Gupta

Suresh Shyamlal Gupta is an Indian politician, trade union leader, and social activist. He is the founder and president of the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA). He has been elected Mumbai President for the youth wing of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, and one of the committee members of the Government of Maharashtra in the area of industries, labor, and energy. Suresh Gupta is known to have busted an illegal kidney racket of Hiranandani Hospital owners Niranjan Hiranandani and Surendra Hiranandani in 2016.[1][2] Following this incident, a CBI inquiry into the murder of an eyewitness of Hiranandani Hospital was demanded.[3] He once objected to the Web series Sacred Games, as to the profound use to profanity and for displaying fake scenes against former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi which streams on Netflix.[4][5] He also banned Pakistani artists and singers in India during the Pulwama terror attack.[6][7] Gupta wrote a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asking Pakistani artists to be deported and their visas canceled.[8] Popular singer Mika Singh was also banned from the Indian film industry by Suresh Gupta for performing live at the wedding ceremony of General Pervez Musharraf's relatives after the Pulwama attack in Karachi.[9]

Suresh Shyamlal Gupta
Suresh Shyamlal Gupta
Occupation(s)Politician, social activist, businessman
Years active2006 –present
Known forAll Indian Cine Workers Association
Political partyIndian National Congress

Political career
Suresh Shyamlal Gupta meets Smt Pratibha Patil, former President of India, in Pune.

Suresh Gupta started his political career in the early days of college. He joined the Indian National Congress (INC) in 2006 in the presence of Gurudas Kamat. He joined Seva Dal Congress as Ward President and a year later was elected as Taluka President of Seva Dal Congress in his constituency. In 2009, Suresh Gupta was elected as the Ward President of the Youth Congress. In 2013, he was appointed as the Mumbai President of the Youth Wing of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC). Later in 2014, he became the National Secretary of Youth Wing of the Indian National Trade Union Congress. He also raised the issue of the SRA project in which builders cheated poor people by not giving them houses.

Demonstration with Nana Patole outside Mantralaya after Rahul Gandhi was called by Enforcement Directorate

In 2012 he raised the issue of illegal mining in Mumbai, where top developers illegally excavated the mountain. Suresh works to ensure the rights of workers and artists working in the Indian film industry. According to Gupta, the workers working in the Indian film industry are not getting adequate facilities. According to him, the workers working in the film industry are forced to work for 16 to 20 hours and are paid less in return. Along with this, they are also abused mentally and physically, as well as women are molested on the shooting sets and Also no PF, no security, no fire safety on set, no hygiene food, no medical ESIC, no leave, etc. Whereas the annual revenue to the government due to the Indian film industry is 2 lakh crores per year. Because of this, Suresh Gupta established the All Indian Cine Workers Association to address the complaints from the Indian film industry, which helps the workers and artists of the Indian film industry to get their basic rights. In 2019, he sparked a revolution by holding a meeting with the Ministry of Labour(Maharashtra), in which the Leader of the Opposition of Maharashtra, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and Maharashtra Labour Minister Sambhaji Nilangekar and other government high officials were present. Because of Gupta's effort, the Government of Maharashtra decided to form a government committee for the rights of workers and artists of the Indian film industry, in which he became the employee representative of that committee.

AICWA leadership
Meeting in the Chief Minister's Office regarding the problem of the film industry.

Aiming for the betterment of the Indian cine workers and artists, Suresh Shyamlal Gupta established a non-profitable organization AlCWA (All Indian Cine Workers Association) in 2016. Believing in the motto of putting cine workers first, the organization aims at taking the voice of the workers to the government and fighting for their rights and heeding to the needs of the workers.

With Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil for a meeting of the Indian film industry at the Chief Minister's office.

Since its foundation, the organization has been a part of numerous news and controversies. Some of them include putting a ban on Pakistani actors after 2019 Pulwama attack, boycotting and banning Mika Singh from the film industry after Singh performed at a wedding in Pakistan.[10]

Suresh took initiative to sort out the issues of artists, workers, or laborers of the Indian Film Industry with the support of MLA Shri Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil (Opposition Leader – Maharashtra Legislative Assembly) in presence of Shri Sambhaji Nilgekar ( Labour Minister of Maharashtra) and other higher officers valuable meeting was conducted on that meeting first-time decision was taken by Government of Maharashtra to form a committee for welfare and rights of artists, workers, and laborers in Indian Film Industry.

Exposed Illegal Kidney Racket

In 2016, Suresh Gupta busted a kidney racket at Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai. His efforts have led to a change in the law on kidney transplantation in Maharashtra. This incident resulted in the arrest of more than 20 people, including doctors, agents, and many others.[11][12] Hiranandani Hospital CEO Chatterjee and several doctors were also arrested.[13][1]

Certain types of keywords were being used for illegal kidneys in Hiranandani Hospital, after which many illegal kidney rackets were busted in Maharashtra and many places in India.[2]

Fraudulent documents prepared for donors and recipients for an illegal kidney transplant that showed fraudulent family ties between them. High-profile people were involved in this case. Key witness and victim Sundar Singh Jatav, through a friend, approached Suresh Gupta for help uncovering this complex kidney trafficking network. Soon after the FIR was registered, Sundar started receiving death threats.[14][15]

Following Jatav's death in 2016, Gupta demanded a CBI inquiry as he claimed it was not a case of suicide. Gupta alleged that bloodstains were found on the floor of Singh's residence.[3][16]

Gupta said that I think he was murdered as he was a strong witness and stood against powerful people, Gupta demanded a detailed investigation to find out the truth.

Gupta added that Singh feared for his life and had sought protection from Powai police station in 2016. No complaint was registered even though he was the star witness in the Hiranandani hospital kidney racket case.[17]

Controversy on Web Series Sacred Games

After a complaint was filed in Kolkata on 10 July 2018, against Netflix, the showrunners and Nawazuddin Siddiqui for allegedly insulting former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in one scene,[18] Gupta, as President of AICWA, filed a complaint at Chembur police station,[19][20] which was followed by a Public Interest Litigation filed in the Delhi High Court.[21]

Demanded to ban on Pakistani Artists after 2019 Pulwama Attack
Protests against Pakistani artists and singers in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack

Following the terror attack by Pakistan-based terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, Suresh Gupta-led All Indian Cine Workers Association announced a complete ban on Pakistani actors and artists.[22][23][24] Suresh Gupta said the attack was "cowardly" and the most shameful act Pakistan has ever done, it will take strict action against anyone working with Pakistani artists.[25][26]

Suresh Gupta, through his organization AICWA, wrote a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on February 19, demanding the deportation of Pakistani artists and cancellation of their visas after the Pulwama terror attack.[8][27] He said, 'The nation comes first and it stands with the nation at the time of such horrific and inhuman acts'.[28][29][30]

In reciprocation of the ban, Pakistani national Sheikh Latif moved to the Lahore High Court, seeking a ban on the trade of Indian films in Pakistan.[31][32][33]

After the ban on Bollywood films by Pakistan, Suresh Gupta said that the Indian film industry and laborers should not work closely with Pakistani filmmakers, artists, and business partners.[34][35] Following that, the AICWA President wrote a formal request to the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, seeking a ban on Pakistani artists, diplomats, and bilateral relations. In an official statement on behalf of the association, Gupta said that there should be no bilateral relations with Pakistani artists, diplomats, businessmen, or citizens of Pakistan.[36]

Singer Mika Singh was banned
Gupta protesting outside singer Mika Singh's house in Mumbai.

Under his presidentship, AICWA protested against singer Mika Singh's performance at an event in Pakistan in August 2019, and boycotted him from any association with film production houses, music companies and online music content providers.[37][38] The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) also issued the ban against him and his crew who performed at the event, but revoked the ban after he apologized.[39][40]

Raised voice against the negligence of the COVID-19 pandemic
Inspection of sets at Film City during COVID 19

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, while a complete lockdown was in force as per the government guidelines, from 19 to 31 March 2020, all shootings were also halted. AICWA President Suresh Gupta said that in fact, some shooting was still not stopped and the safety instructions were not followed. Only half of the shooting in Goregaon Firm City was stopped, with the rest continuing without regard for safety guidelines.[41] Even after the notification was issued by Dr. Pradeep Vyas, Principal Secretary, Health Department, safety hygiene should have been followed during the shooting, but all the safety hygiene was neglected. Apart from this issue, Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, president of the All Indian Cine Workers Association, raised his voice to stop the increasing cases of mental stress and suicide due to non-payment of wages and work to the workers during the lockdown.[42]

Demands SIT probe into art director Raju Sapte suicide

Under his presidentship, the matter of art director Raju Sapte's suicide was raised in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on AICWA's demand, following which a meeting was held under the leadership of Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil and State Home Minister Satej Patil, and orders were issued for strict action against the culprits.[43]

References
  1. "Kidney for a price". theweek.in. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  2. "Illegal organ racket: Rajma for kidney, sauce for blood; code words agents used while discussing transplants". The Indian Express. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  3. "Activist demands CBI probe into 'suicide' of kidney racket witness". DNA India. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  4. "Another Congress activist lodges complaint against 'Sacred Games'". Hindustan Times. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  5. "'Sacred Games' team lands in soup again". Out Look.
  6. "AICWA demands complete ban on banned Pakistani artists; says film industry refuses to resume work". Bollywood Hungama.
  7. "Bollywood ban may hurt Pakistan more than India". BBC.
  8. "Pulwama Terror Attack: पाक कलाकारों को लेकर सिने वर्कर्स ने लिखा सुषमा स्वराज को लेटर". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  9. "Singer Mika Singh banned from Indian film industry after his performance at a high profile event in Karachi". Bollywood Life. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  10. "AICWA bans Mika Singh after his performance in Pakistan: No one in India will work with him". India Today.
  11. "Kidney racket: 3 more TOHA sections slapped on 5 docs held". DNA India. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  12. "Kidney Racket: Hiranandani CEO, 4 Others Sent To 14-Day Judicial Custody". NDTV.com. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  13. V. Narayan (11 October 2016). "Hiranandani Hospital: Kidney racket: Five Hiranandani doctors chargesheeted for criminal conspiracy | Mumbai News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  14. "He sold his kidney to settle a family debt. His fight for payment uncovered another organ racket in India". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  15. "Duped into selling his kidney, this 23-year-old exposed an illegal organ racket in India". Los Angeles Times. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
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  24. "Pulwama attack: All Indian Cine Workers Association announces ban on Pakistani artists, actors". ANI News. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  25. ANI (18 February 2019). "Pulwama attack: All Indian Cine Workers Association announces ban on Pakistani artists, actors". news.abplive.com. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
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  27. Bureau, ABP News (20 February 2019). "Pulwama terror attack: All Indian Cine Workers Association writes letter to Sushma Swaraj asking for visa cancellation & deportation of Pakistani artistes!". news.abplive.com. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
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