Is there a Pakistan link to the Noida workers’ protests that turned violent?

Hours after a demonstration by factory employees turned violent in Noida, shocking the nation, the Uttar Pradesh government has hiked minimum wages across worker categories with revised rates coming into effect from April 1 retrospectively.

Meanwhile, the authorities are investigating the violence that unfolded, with an Uttar Pradesh minister even alleging that the protests were a “well-planned conspiracy” with a possible Pakistan link also being probed in the wake of recent terror-related arrests in the region.

Here’s what we have found out so far.

How did violence break out in Noida?

>> On Monday (April 13), a
demonstration by a large number of factory employees demanding an increase in wages turned violent in Noida under Gautam Buddha Nagar district.

>> A large number of workers from various industrial units in the area gathered at multiple locations, including Sector 62, pushing for their demands, escalating it into a face-off with some participants pelting stones and setting vehicles ablaze.

>> According to news agency PTI, violence was first reported on Monday afternoon, with sporadic vandalism and stone-pelting reported until 5 pm.

>> The standoff left thousands of commuters stranded on key routes leading to Delhi during peak hours. Long queues of vehicles stretching several kilometres were reported at the Delhi-Noida border, with major congestion at Sector 62, National Highway-24, Sector 63, and the Chilla border. Protesters blocked key routes, including stretches connecting Sector 62 to Sector 16 and NH-9.

> Many of the workers, who participated in the protests, said that their anger was justified. One protester said that despite working 12-hour shifts, he earned just Rs 11,000-Rs 15,000. Another alleged that there were irregularities in wage payments. “We are made to work double shifts, but are paid only for a single duty.”

What have investigations into the violence revealed?

>> The authorities investigating the violence have noted that around 40,000 to 45,000 workers had gathered at around 80 locations across Gautam Buddha Nagar.

>> By the end of Monday, the police had arrested over 300 protesters under preventive provisions for arson and vandalism, while more than 100 were detained for questioning. Moreover, the authorities were using CCTV footage from the area to identify and nab more of those who indulged in the violence.

>> According to the police, “outsiders” attempted to incite unrest in Noida after workers had dispersed peacefully. “After the labourers dispersed peacefully, a group from outside the district arrived in the areas bordering neighbouring districts. They moved around attempting to incite tension and provoke violence. We have taken some members of this group into custody, and we are identifying the remaining individuals to initiate appropriate action against them,” said Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh.

>> Currently, seven cases have been registered, said the police chief, adding that misinformation aggravated the unrest. UP Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna said the “provocative elements” and “external elements” involved in the violence were being traced, and “firm legal action will follow once their identities are established”.

> The police have noted that around 50 bot accounts were created, according to a Times of India report, spreading misinformation about the protests.

A possible Pakistan link?

>> While the police have alleged ‘outside interference’, UP’s Labour Minister Anil Rajbhar claimed that the violence that unfolded on Monday was part of a “larger conspiracy”. He further suggested a Pakistan link to the violence.

>> “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,” said Rajbhar.

>> He further claimed that such elements were attempting to create unrest due to the growing popularity of the government in the state.

>> Rajbhar appealed to workers not to fall prey to any misleading information or incitement and to maintain peace. “Anarchy and violent protests are not the solution to any problem. The government is ready to listen to your concerns.”

What next?

>> The
government has hiked minimum wages across worker categories; unskilled workers in Gautam Buddha and Ghaziabad will now get Rs 13,690 per month, up from Rs 11,313, while semi-skilled workers will receive Rs 15,059 and skilled workers Rs 16,868.

>> For other municipal corporation areas, the revised monthly wages have been fixed at Rs 13,006 for unskilled workers, Rs 14,306 for semi-skilled workers, and Rs 16,025 for skilled workers. In the remaining districts, unskilled workers will get Rs 12,356 per month, semi-skilled workers Rs 13,591, and skilled workers Rs 15,224.

>> And on Tuesday, fresh violence erupted in Noida when workers threw stones at the police, reported NDTV. Police moved in to disperse the crowd, chasing away protesters and eventually clearing the area.

With inputs from agencies