Noida protests: Yogi sees ‘conspiracy to create industrial unrest’, govt forms committee to resolve row

According to the DGP’s office, action is being taken against those trying to spread misleading, false, and provocative information on social media and other platforms. So far, FIRs have been registered against two X (Twitter) handles for spreading rumours.

Also, more than 50 such bot handles have been identified, allegedly created in the last 24 hours, attempting to spread rumours and create misleading narratives regarding the protests in Noida, it was alleged.

It indicated a coordinated conspiracy, a police spokesperson stated.

A detailed investigation into all such handles will be conducted by the UP Special Task Force (STF), it was stated.

The committee formed by the State Labour Department rushed to Noida and initiated discussions with stakeholders to ensure peace and industrial harmony, said a government spokesperson. It will look into reasons behind the unrest and violence and those responsible for it, and will submit its recommendations on priority to the government, the spokesperson added.

The panel includes the Industrial Development Commissioner as its chairman while members are Additional Chief Secretary, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department and Principal Secretary, Labour and Employment Department. The Labour Commissioner, Kanpur, is Member Secretary. The committee will also have five members who are representatives of labour organisations and three members as representatives of industry associations.

Reacting to the protests, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav blamed the BJP government’s “one-sided policies” and alleged the regime favours capitalists while neglecting salaried employees and labourers.

In a post on X, Yadav said the agitation over wage hike had turned aggressive due to policies that “nurture capitalists but exploit workers”. “In times of rising inflation, it is extremely difficult for a family to survive on low wages. Only someone running a household can understand this,” he said, adding that salaried employees no longer want the BJP.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also shared a video clip of incidents of arson and vandalism during the protests.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai slammed the government over the handling of the situation, saying visuals of protests in Noida were “disturbing”.

Rai also took to X, saying, “When inflation is breaking people’s backs and workers are being exploited in the name of wages, the youth will be forced to come out on the streets. Advertisements cannot fill empty stomachs. Tear gas shells cannot answer hunger. Stop ignoring the legitimate demands of workers and find a solution instead of resorting to repression,” he added, addressing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Opposition parties’ reactions came amid unrest in Noida where protests by factory workers demanding a salary hike turned violent in several areas, including Phase-2, Sector 60, Sector 62 and Sector 84 on Monday.

Workers from multiple industrial units gathered to press for long-pending wage revision demands, but the demonstrations escalated into incidents of stone-pelting, arson and vandalism, with vehicles set ablaze and property damaged.

— With PTI inputs