Work at most factories and many government set-ups in Haryana’s Faridabad was badly disrupted on Friday as hundreds of workers lent support to the nationwide strike by trade unions.
The strike also crippled the public transport system in the town as Haryana Roadways buses kept off the roads throughout the day. This left commuters at the mercy of overcharging autos and taxis. Despite a huge turnout at B.K. Chowk in Faridabad, the demonstration remained peaceful. There was heavy deployment of local police at the spot, but their work was mostly limited to clearing the road for the march undertaken by the workers late in the afternoon.
However, the march hit the traffic on Gurgaon-Faridabad Road and subsequently on the busy Mathura Road passing through Faridabad.
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The numerous factories in town wore a barren look and remained shut. However, a few saw workers turn up for work. “Strikes are good, but ultimately my job is at the mercy of my employers,” explained a worker at a rubber products manufacturing unit, who did not join the strike.
Markets unaffected
The protests did not affect the markets and other private establishments operating in Faridabad, or even right next to the site of the strike. The Faridabad Civil Hospital, outside which the protests were happening, functioned without disruptions. In stark contrast, the municipal corporation premises located right next to the protest site wore a barren look as most of its employees had joined the strike.
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The demonstrators, almost 3,000 of them, included a large number of women, most of them with their faces covered. However, their representation among the leaders who took to the stage and addressed the gathering was dismally low.
In their charged-up speeches, the union leaders took pot-shots at the current BJP government and warned of strikes running into several days if their demands were not met. Their speeches targeted the Prime Minister over a host of issues, ranging from the promise of “Achche Din”, the controversy over cows, Vijay Mallya, communal tension and the government’s “soft corner for businessmen at the cost of the workers”.
Workers at the demonstrations were vocal about their woes at work and cheered the speakers loudly. “If we fall ill and take leave because of the continuous work, the employers cut our salaries. The government does not care even about our basic human rights,” said Mahipal, one of the workers.