Anil Rajbhar, the Uttar Pradesh Labour Minister, has characterised the recent violent protests in Noida as a "well-planned conspiracy". Speaking on Monday, the minister suggested that authorities are looking into a potential Pakistani connection, following the recent arrests of terror suspects in the region. To date, police have taken approximately over 350 individuals into custody in relation to the unrest.
According to the minister, preliminary evidence indicates that the disruption was a deliberate attempt to destabilise the state. Four individuals who reportedly have some connection with handlers based in Pakistan have been arrested in Meerut and Noida, thereby strengthening the case for external involvement. According to Rajbhar, security officials are conducting an intensive inquiry into the possibility that “anti-national elements” masterminded the disorder in order to thwart law and order and development.
Violence broke out when factory workers staged a protest demanding a substantial increase in their wages. This occurred in different sections of Noida such as Phase 2 and Sectors 60, 62, and 84. It was a very hostile environment marked by arson and stone-throwing, leading to the burning of cars and destruction of property. The police had no option but to call for reinforcements and use teargas.
In addition to the 350 arrests, over 100 people have been detained for questioning as investigators scan CCTV footage from local factories to identify the agitators. The minister also suggested that the timing of the unrest might have been intended to overshadow Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s scheduled engagement in Muzaffarnagar.
Rajbhar urged the workforce to remain calm and warned them against being misled by provocations or misinformation. He emphasised that "anarchy and violent protests" would not resolve their grievances and reiterated that the government is open to dialogue. On the Chief Minister’s orders, senior officials have been dispatched to Noida to engage directly with the workers.
The unrest, which had entered its fourth day by April 13, was largely sparked by a wage increase in neighbouring Haryana, leading to demands for pay parity amidst rising inflation. Police estimates suggest that between 40,000 and 45,000 workers gathered at more than 80 locations on Monday.
Police Commissioner of Gautam Buddh Nagar, Laxmi Singh, said that although the majority of workers dispersed without any commotion, another bunch of workers, who came from outside the district, were sent to create more commotion at the place. She informed that out of the five demands put forward by the workers, four demands had already been met and that a senior-level committee was constituted to discuss the last demand.
Also read: Protests over low wages continue in Noida
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