Maruti union holds protest in Gurgaon demanding release of convicted workers

Workers affiliated to the Maruti workers’ union held a protest in Gurgaon demanding the release of those convicted in the 2012 Manesar plant violence case

Around 500 workers affiliated to the Maruti workers’ union held a protest at Kamla Nehru Park near the deputy commissioner’s office on Monday. They demanded the release of 13 workers who were sentenced to life imprisonment, and four others ordered to serve a five-year prison term in the case of violence in the company’s Manesar plant in 2012 that left a manager dead.

Members of the Maruti Suzuki Mazdoor Sangh staged a protest at Kamla Nehru Park near the deputy commissioner’s office in Gurgaon. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Members of the Maruti Suzuki Mazdoor Sangh (MSMS) handed over a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of Gurgaon seeking action against the company’s management and demanding a reversal of the judgment by a local court on March 10 that convicting 31 Maruti workers.

Kuldip Janghu, general secretary of the union, said the court passed the judgment without proper evidence. “We will fight till justice is delivered. We are going to stage an all-India protest on Wednesday,” he said.

The union also demanded that workers found not guilty by the court be allowed to rejoin work at Maruti.

The protesters even alleged that companies such as Maruti take pride in exploiting workers.

“We have called all worker unions to unite for the cause. Big firms cannot take decisions against poor workers. We will hand over the memorandum to the President of India as well,” he said.

In the violence that had taken place in the Manesar plant on July 18, 2012, Awanish Kumar Dev, general manager (human resources) of Maruti Suzuki, was burned to death and several executives injured. The violence ensued after a tussle between workers and the management over various demands, including registration of a trade union at the Manesar plant.