Sipu Jha
SURAT: More than 2,000 workers of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) protested heavily at the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) plant in Hajira village, Surat, today. The workers protested to demand higher wages and better working conditions. As the mob resorted to violence, the police reached the spot and lobbed 35 shells to disperse them. Hajira police arrested at least 20 workers and started proceedings to lodge an FIR. The workers got inspired for the protest after videos of Panipat workers at the IOCL refinery went viral over the last 3 days.Following the incident, DCP Zone-7 Shaifali Barwal, ACP Sweta Daniels, Hajira Police Inspector VL Parmar, and other police officials reached the spot and tried to control the situation. When police tried to convince the workers, they started pelting stones at them, following which police lobbed tear gas shells.Barwal told the media: “We came to know that 10 vehicles were damaged in the violence by the mob, and 1 car was set on fire. We detained 20 workers against whom an FIR is being filed. The protest was inspired by the Panipat workers’ protest going on for the last 2 days.”Meanwhile, AM/NS India confirmed that the workers were on an L & T contract and were deployed to work at various plants on the AM/NS India campus in Hajira.After the violent protests, L & T issued a statement assuring the workers that they would implement the Gujarat govt’s new labour code notifications once they are implemented.
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