Samajwadi Party delegation to meet workers in Noida over unrest

The delegation, led by leader of opposition in Uttar Pradesh state assembly Mata Prasad Pandey, has been constituted following directions of the party chief Akhilesh Yadav

NOIDA: Days after workers’ protest erupted in Noida’s industrial belt, a 10-member delegation of the state’s main opposition Samajwadi Party will visit the workers on Friday, the party announced on Thursday even as many industrial units in the city have resumed operations.

“No force was used against peaceful protesters, and action was taken only against those involved in violence, arson and damage to property,” said police commissioner Laxmi Singh said in a statement on Thursday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The delegation, led by leader of opposition in Uttar Pradesh state assembly Mata Prasad Pandey, has been constituted following directions of the party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Yadav has asked the delegation to assess the situation on the ground, hear workers’ grievances and raise their concerns with the authorities. The team will also meet families of those allegedly affected during the police action, they added.

Party’s state president Shyam Lal Pal alleged that workers in Noida are being paid between ₹10,000 and ₹11,000 per month and made to work for 10 to 12 hours a day. “In many cases, workers are not even given weekly offs. For months, they have been demanding a wage hike and overtime compensation, but their concerns have not been addressed,” he said in a statement.

He alleged that workers at a manufacturing unit in Phase 2 had been staging a peaceful protest outside the company’s premises over wage-related issues earlier this week when the police intervened. “Instead of resolving the matter, the administration used force to disperse the protest. A lathi-charge was carried out, causing anguish among workers.”

Party representatives said that the issue reflects broader concerns in the industrial workforce. “There is growing resentment among workers due to low wages, long working hours and denial of basic entitlements. The delegation will meet affected workers and ensure their voices are heard,” the SP’s Noida metropolitan president AshrayGupta told HT.

The delegation, meanwhile, will also include district president Sudhir Bhati; metropolitan president Gupta; former ministers Shahid Manzoor and Kamal Akhtar; MLAs Atul Pradhan and Pankaj Kumar Malik; former MLC Shashank Yadav; party spokesperson Rajkumar Bhati; and former Noida assembly candidate Sunil Chaudhary.

The development comes against the backdrop of recurring labour issues in Noida’s industrial areas, where a large section of the workforce is employed through contractors and often lacks job security and formal benefits. Concerns over low wages, extended working hours and lack of social security have periodically triggered protests in the region.

Responding to allegations, Gautam Budh Nagar police, meanwhile, said that the police acted as a facilitator to enable dialogue between workers and management and exercised restraint.

Police said certain organisations were circulating “misleading information” regarding its role during the recent labour unrest.

“No force was used against peaceful protesters, and action was taken only against those involved in violence, arson and damage to property. Arrests were made only in cases where individuals were directly involved in incidents of stone-pelting, arson or damage to public and private property, while some others were accused of instigating such acts from behind the scenes,” said police commissioner Laxmi Singh said in a statement on Thursday.

Police also said that steps had been taken to address workers’ concerns, pointing to measures such as an interim wage increase and the formation of a committee to look into their demands.