‘We just want fair wages... Why are police beating us?’: Workers at Noida protest

SMoke hung o'er Noida’s industrial skyline on mon as a three-day-long workers’ unrest o'er depression wages spiralled into vandalism and clashes. It left behind burnt vehicles and blocked roads. The unrest intensified after a some female workers were allegedly hit during police action.In Noida's Phase 2 industrial area, workers gathered in large numbers, blocking arterial roads in Sectors 1, 60 and 84. Traffic ground to a halt as anger spilled onto the streets. What began as a demand for better wages soon escalated after a police crackdown using tear gas and lathi charge led to arson, vandalism and stone-pelting. Several vehicles were set ablaze and others damaged during the clashes.‘Beat us with no fault’A woman protester told news agency ANI, “I work at Motherson. They are paying us less salary. We want more. When we staged a sit-in protest, they beat us up with no fault of ours. Cylinders, vegetables and everything are expensive.”She added, “I was hit in my legs. I demand that we be paid ₹20,000 as salary. Only then can we sustain ourselves; otherwise, the protest will continue." ‘Policemen beating girls with sticks’Another protester, speaking to PTI, said, “The government had promised to increase our salary. Why isn't the government increasing our wage? Why are the policemen beating women with sticks? What is the need for a lathi charge?"Videos circulating from the scene showed chaotic moments, including a man being dragged away by police as others shouted in protest. Why are workers protesting in Noida?The agitation, led largely by workers from the Hosiery Complex and other manufacturing units, has been driven by demands for wage parity with neighbouring Haryana and improved working conditions. For many, the demand is a salary they believe can keep pace with inflation.A worker told Hindi Khabar, “We should be earning ₹20,000 for 8 hours of work. Instead, some company gives an increment of ₹280, or some other gives ₹300 as raise. In the meantime, our house rent increases by ₹500.”What protesters are demanding in NoidaAnother worker, Manju Devi, said she works long hours for modest pay. “Our salary is very low. I earn ₹13,000 [a month]. And I work 12 hours a day,” she said. “How can I raise four children on this salary? How can I feed and educate them?” she questioned.“Our problem is that gas prices are increasing but our salaries are not increasing,” a third worker said. “Salary is ₹13,000, should be increased to ₹20,000,” se said.The ripples of the unrest reached the city's commuters. A commuter from Sector 62 found himself caught in the crossfire."We saw a vehicle burning ahead and had to take a U-turn,” he told reporters. “Stones were being thrown, and police were trying to control the crowd. Everyone was trying to get out of there."Another man, stuck for over an hour near an industrial stretch, said, “It did not feel like a protest; it felt unsafe. There was no clarity on what was happening, and people were trying to escape the area.” Political reactionSamajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav pinned the blame on the ruling administration. "Injustice has reached its peak under the BJP government. All kinds of injustice are happening," Yadav told news agency ANI. "What we saw today in Noida, workers have been demanding their rights on a large scale. The entire responsibility lies with the administration and the government... When workers' salaries were increased in other states, why hasn't the government provided relief in Uttar Pradesh?"