UP Inc demands 'industrial relation units' in mfg hubs

In the backdrop of the Ghaziabad incident, where a senior executive of Indo-Japanese auto parts company Allied Nippon was allegedly killed by angry factory workers, industries in Uttar Pradesh have demanded setting up ‘industrial relation units’ (IRUs) in manufacturing hubs of UP on the lines of Noida.

The IRU was set up in October 2008 to foster better coordination between police and industry in Noida (Gautam Budh Nagar district) following the alleged lynching of the chief of an Italian subsidiary.

Besides, industry fears the Ghaziabad incident could disrepute the image of UP as an investment destination and send a wrong message to prospective investors in India and abroad.

Allied Nippon’s assistant general manager Joginder Chaudhury was allegedly assaulted by angry workers on November 13. He later succumbed to grievous wounds. Some other company officials were also manhandled, who are being treated in hospital.

In the Noida incident on September 22, 2008, L K Chaudhary, the MD-cum-CEO of Graziano Transmissioni – Indian subsidiary of Italian firm Graziano – was allegedly killed by a group of sacked employees in daylight. Later, UP Police had formed an IRU in Noida to be headed by a deputy superintendent police (DSP).

“The Ghaziabad incident shows there is no fear of law. The incident would not have gone out of hand if the accused had feared being punished,” Ghaziabad-based industrial goods’ exporter and local Indian Industries Association chapter president Neeraj Singhal told Business Standard over telephone.