Villagers to oppose Maruti workers rally at Manesar

Villagers near the Industrial Model Township (IMT) Manesar Friday threatened to oppose Maruti Udyog Ltd's workers' meeting to mark the first anniversary of the July 18 violence in the automobile factory.

Nearly two dozen sarpanches (village heads) urged Gurgaon Commissioner of Police Alok Mittal and Deputy Commissioner P.C. Meena not to allow the workers' meeting at Manesar.

"We will not allow the meeting," the sarpanches said in their letter.

"The meeting has been called by sacked Maruti workers and their families. The Gurgaon Maruti plant is not connected with the meeting," Kuldeep Janghu, general secretary, Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union, told IANS.

Violence had erupted July 18 after a suspended Maruti Udyog worker at the Manesar plant allegedly slapped a supervisor. A senior executive was killed and over 100 people were injured in the violence.

After the incident, the company sacked nearly 2,500 workers. Of them, 147 workers - including then union leaders - were jailed and are facing trial.

Workers want their jobs back and a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry or a probe by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana high Court into the incident.

The plant is now functioning with new staff.