Oppo flag row: Noida unit still shut, mobile firm confirms it sacked employee
Although Oppo India has sacked an employee for disrespecting the Indian tricolour, Noida Police says it is yet to complete its investigations in the matter. The company has shut its operations in the assembly unit until Friday.
For the third consecutive day, operations at the assembling unit of India’s fourth largest handset maker - Oppo India - remained suspended in Noida’s Sector 63 on Thursday.
The Chinese mobile company late on Wednesday night confirmed in a statement that the Indian tricolour was ‘discarded’ from the table in its office even as it sacked an employee. However, the company didn’t disclose either the nationality or the identity of the sacked employee.
Noida police, which is investigating the case, said it had yet to complete investigation in the matter. “At our end, the investigation is not complete. CCTV footage is still being analysed and examined. We have not shared any details with Oppo India yet. If it has taken any decision (of sacking the employee), it must be in its own capacity. We have to look at various aspects,” said Ajay Kumar, circle officer.
In a statement, the handset maker said, “Based on the recent incident and after thorough investigation with the authorities concerned, we have found that a worker discarded the Indian Flag from the table during a regular external material check. Oppo India regrets this unfortunate incident and reaffirms that this is an individual’s behaviour that in no way represents our company’s position.”
On Tuesday, Indian employees of the company alleged that Oppo India’s production manager — a Chinese national — ‘tore and threw’ an Indian flag in a dustbin. The incident triggered protests by hundreds of employees, prompting the police to step in.
The police registered a case against a Chinese employee, Kevin Suhahu, under section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 at Noida Phase-3 police station.
The company has shut operations in its unit after its employees raised various demands. The company has asked its workers to join on Friday morning as it hopes to resume operations in its assembling unit.
Police teams continue to be stationed at its Sector 63 unit on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, around 30 employees were protesting outside the unit, but they were called in by the management. In the meeting employees handed over a charter of demands to the management and sought immediate redressal.
The employees had mentioned that their working shift should be for eight hours only and have demanded a salary of minimum Rs15, 000 per month. They have also sought holidays on Sunday and management was asked not to sack employees without any concrete reasons.
District magistrate NP Singh, labour commissioner and police officials also held a meeting with Oppo India management on Wednesday in which they decided that a committee would be constituted to probe the matter and address worker’s demands.