New Delhi, Sept. 23: Labour minister Oscar Fernandes said the lynching of the Graziano Transmission India CEO was a warning to managements not to push workers “so hard”, sparking angry comments from industry.
Industry body Ficci president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the Union minister’s comments were shocking while others feared such actions could affect India’s image outside at a time it was courting investors.
Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani said whatever the circumstances, murder could not be condoned.
Rome reacted with horror and the Italian embassy in New Delhi said it had “repeatedly” told Indian authorities that “self-proclaimed workers’ representatives” had been staging violent protests for the past few months.
“The situation had been repeatedly brought to the attention of the competent Indian authorities, both at (the) central and the local level,” the embassy said in a statement.
Fernandes said “simmering discontent” among workers over management policies may have led to the lynching of Lalit Chowdhury of Graziano Transmission, one of the top global manufacturers of auto components.
The 45-year-old was bludgeoned to death with iron rods, hammers and batons at the company’s plant in Greater Noida by union members demanding reinstatement of some workers sacked for “under-performance.
Fernandes, expected to visit the incident site tomorrow, said there were “disparities” in the wages of permanent employees and contract workers.
“The workers should not be pushed so hard that they resort to whatever has happened in Noida,” he told reporters in Delhi.
“This should serve as a warning for the managements,” the minister said. “It is my appeal to the managements that the workers should be dealt with compassion.”
In Uttar Pradesh, police arrested 136 people, including 63 on charges of murder and rioting.
Noida SSP R.K. Chaturvedi admitted that the police reached the spot late and said the station house officer concerned had been placed under suspension.
In Delhi, Fernandes said the incident was “not a good augury” for the country.
“We are going to discuss the matter of hire-and-fire policy in the next labour congress. First, we (will) deal with PSUs and later with the private sector on the issue.”
