80 people arrested for protesting outside Samsung plant in Noida

As many as 80 people were arrested on Tuesday for staging a protest in Noida’s Phase 2 on Tuesday. They were demanding increased participation of local youth at the Samsung India manufacturing plant .

More than 100 activists, under the banner of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the Kisan Sabha, staged a protest demanding employment for the youth of Gautam Budh Nagar. However, the activists were not allowed to reach the Samsung India factory in Phase 2 by the police, and 80 of them were arrested under the Indian Penal Code Section 151.

“We arrested them for disruption of peace as they had held a protest without prior approval,” Rajpal Tomar, station house officer, Phase 2 police station, said.

“We have demanded that local youth be given jobs at factories set up in Noida and Greater Noida. Today’s protest was held at Samsung. The children of farmers whose land was acquired should also be given jobs. Multinational companies do not provide jobs to local youth,” Gangeshwar Dutt Sharma, representative, CITU, said.

“Our other demand was a minimum monthly wage of Rs 20,000.Until approved by the government, we have demanded that workers be paid wages on a par with the minimum wage per month in Delhi — Rs 13,896. In Uttar Pradesh, the minimum wage per month is just Rs 7,600,” Sharma said.

Deputy labour commissioner PK Singh said, “Workers have the right to protest, but it should be peaceful.We have forwarded the workers’ demand of a minimum monthly wage of Rs 20,000 as well as their other demands to the state and Central governments.”

Taking cognizance of the protest, district magistrate BN Singh said, “I have spoken to the Samsung management and they have told us that a major chunk of the jobs have been given to local youth depending on their capability and education. In some instances, 100% contract work has been given to the local people. Moreover, none of the protesters work at Samsung. We should focus on ensuring that more and more multinational companies come to the district. The environment for conducive industrial development should not be disturbed with such agitations.”

On July 9, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in inaugurated Samsung India Electronics’ new mobile phone manufacturing facility in Noida’s Sector 81. In 2016, Noida had allotted 30 acres of industrial land to Samsung India Electronics to expand its smartphone manufacturing unit in Noida. Samsung already has one industrial unit on a 45-acre plot in the Phase 2 industrial area.

Samsung India officials were not available for comment.