NOIDA, APRIL 14: Uttar Pradesh Labor Minister Anil Rajbhar stated Monday that recent large-scale worker protests in Noida may be part of a “well-planned conspiracy” involving Pakistan-based handlers. The Minister’s remarks follow a wave of demonstrations over wage demands that escalated into arson and vandalism, paralyzing traffic across the National Capital Region for several hours.
The state government is currently probing potential connections between the unrest and anti-national elements. Rajbhar pointed to recent security operations in the region as a basis for these concerns, noting that investigative agencies are treating the matter with significant gravity.
“In recent days, four suspected terrorists have been arrested from Meerut and Noida, whose links were connected to handlers based in Pakistan,” Rajbhar affirmed. He maintained that the timing and nature of the violence suggest an intent to disrupt the state’s development and law and order.
The protests, which involved an estimated 42,000 workers at over 80 locations, saw industrial hubs in Sectors 60 and 62 turn into flashpoints. While the core grievance involved a demand for monthly wage increases to match neighboring states, the Minister asserted that the escalation appeared orchestrated by forces troubled by the state government’s growing popularity.
Security forces utilized tear gas to manage crowds after vehicles were set ablaze and factory premises were breached. Following the day’s events, the state administration announced a revised minimum wage structure for Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad, raising unskilled worker pay to ₹13,690 per month in an effort to restore industrial peace.
