Govt says Noida CEO death a warning, India Inc in shock

 

New Delhi, September 23: Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes has said that ‘simmering discontent among the workers’ is the main reason behind the death of L K Chaudhary, the CEO of an Italy-based company Graziano, in Greater Noida.

The Minister said at a press conference, "This should serve as a warning for the managements. It is my appeal to the managements that the workers should be dealt with compassion,"

INDIA INC IN SHOCK

An outraged India Inc condemned the killing of L K Chaudhury, stating such incidents will damage the country's image among global investors.

Chaudhury was beaten to death yesterday allegedly by dismissed employees inside the factory.

"Such a heinous act is bound to sully India's image among overseas investors and deserves utmost condemnation," industry body FICCI said.

Expressing concern over the law and order situation in Greater Noida, the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said trade unions should conduct themselves with maturity and responsibility.

"Labour unrest takes place everywhere but it is unfortunate that in this particular incident, things went out of hand," Chamber's Northern Region Chairman Diljeet Titus said.

He said unions should realise that companies are working in a liberalised environment and industrial peace is essential for economic development.

The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce said the incident sets a bad precedence for Uttar Pradesh as the state needs investments and job opportunities.

Echoing the sentiment, Assocham President Sajjan Jindal said the UP administration needs to take stringent action

against those who have committed the gruesome act to restore confidence of investors in the state.

"The killing has sent out wrong signals, consequences of which would have to be suffered by the state," he said.

The Confederation of Indian Industries said such instances of industrial violence cannot be a solution to any problem and ‘should not be tolerated.’

ITALY SHOCKED

Expressing shock over lynching of L K Chaudhury, Italy today said it had repeatedly apprised both Central and UP Government officials about violent protests there and hoped such incidents will not recur.

"The situation had been repeatedly brought to the attention of the competent Indian authorities, both at central and local level," the Italian Embassy said in a statement.

"The incident is all the more worrying as the Italian company Graziano Transmissioni, after many successful years, had been facing several months of violent forms of protests by self-proclaimed workers representatives", it said.

The Embassy expressed the confidence that the Indian judicial authorities will prosecute and punish the perpetrators of such crimes and ensure that such tragic events will not be repeated and industrial disputes will be resolved without violence