With the shutdown of Bajaj Auto's (BAL) Akurdi plant tomorrow, an uncertain future awaits over 2,000 workers employed at the unit which rolled out lakhs of two and three wheelers for the last four decades on the Indian streets and abroad.Although the Bajaj Auto management's decision announced by managing director Rajiv Bajaj on Wednesday night has come as a shocker for many, the recent introduction of a four-day week in the factory had been seen as a final countdown before halting vehicle production completely.While an acute drop in demand for production has been cited as one of the reasons for the shutdown, Rajiv Bajaj has also held the government's policies on capacity rationalisation and octroi duty in Maharashtra responsible for the decision. The company, however, has stated that workers will continue to get their wages despite the closure.Criticising government policies, Rajiv Bajaj said in a statement that neither the workmen nor the company management was responsible for the shut down.Meanwhile, Anil Lakaswar, joint commissioner of labour, Pune, has asked BAL officials to furnish specific reasons for the plant's closedown by Friday for it to be forwarded to the state's industrial department.The officer also met a delegation of workers' unions, Bharatiya Kamgar Sena and Vishwakalyan Kamgar Sanghatana, who protested the management's decision.Earlier, demonstrating workers raised slogans denouncing the BAL's decision of offering idle wages and demanded start of production to earn their living.
