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Noida: The industrial corridors of Noida and Greater Noida saw protests by hundreds of factory workers on April 12, demanding wage hikes to address challenges with inflation and work life balance. The protests, which some reports say saw about 40,000 workers protesting, was triggered by stagnant wages and the double digit inflation that has been witnessed due to rising LPG prices.
Adding fuel to the fire, many workers were added to WhatsApp Groups instigating the protesters, with some participants setting properties and vehicles on fire while others pelted stones in an altercation with the police.
The protests caught the attention of the industry leaders and the UP Government, who blamed the protest on a planned conspiracy by a neighbouring country.
“The incident appears to have been carried out with the intention of disrupting the development and law and order of the state. In recent days, four suspected terrorists have been arrested from Meerut and Noida, whose links were connected to handlers based in Pakistan. In such a situation, the possibility of a conspiracy to create instability in the state gains strength. Agencies are seriously investigating the entire matter.” UP Labour Minister Anil Rajbhar said.
“People should not fall prey to any misleading information or provocation and must maintain peace. Chaos and aggressive protests are not a solution to any problem. The government is ready to listen to every concern of the workers,” he urged the protesters.
Listed companies urge caution
Though reports suggest most of the workers were working in garment factories, various electronics manufacturing units in the area have been affected by the violence.
Electronics assembler Dixon Technologies attempted to allay concerns through an exchange filing on April 13, saying that the development hasn’t affected them so far.
“We hereby clarify with respect to the media reports on labour protest in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The event is industry-wide and primarily triggered by misinformation affecting multiple industries in the Noida region. We confirm that our company’s operations remain fully compliant with applicable laws with no material impact on our operations,” it said.
As part of a damage control measure, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an interim minimum wage increase of around 21% for workers in Noida, Greater Noida and other areas in the Gautam Buddha Nagar district.
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