From Labour File journal (Special Economic Zones: Their Impact on Labour), Vol 6, Nos 4-5, July - October 2008 (Labour News - pages 58-59).

Sixty-three workers of Graziano Transmissioni India are behind the iron bars of Dasna Jail in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Their crime, according to the authorities—the government, management and police—is that they were party to the murder of 47-year-old Lalit Kishore Choudhary, the CEO of their company. The arrested workers are charged under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 307, 323, 336, 427, 452, 504 and 506.

The mediaboth national and international—are fired up with criticism of the violent outburst of the employees and have termed the event a cold blooded murder. Industrialists and investors raised protests and said they were reconsidering the idea of investing in India. The central labour minister, who expressed what he truly felt, was forced to apologise to industrialists across the world. And now, the Uttar Pradesh government has created laws specifically for NOIDA and Greater NOIDA. Immediately after the incident, the Uttar Pradesh government came up with two new government orders (GOs) to control such labour outbursts. The GO dated 24 September 2008 (1551/38-1/2008) states that the District Labour Commissioner of NOIDA and Greater NOIDA, who was part of the government labour department, will now function under the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of NOIDA and the Greater NOIDA Authority, which are independent autonomous bodies. A GO dated 27 September 2008 (1559/36/1-2008) states that all industrial relations in Greater NOIDA will come under the purview of these CEOs. This action of the government has not only resulted in unilaterally changing the hierarchy of the labour administration but also emphasises the Uttar Pradesh government`s tendency to criminalise industrial relations. Added to this is the announcement that chief minister Mayavati made in an urgent meeting with the CEOs of Greater NOIDA and NOIDA on 25 October 2008. She emphasised that the state government will set up an `Industrial Relations Committee`, comprising the CEOs of NOIDA and Greater NOIDA and senior district police officers to look into the problems of industrialists, including labour disputes.

A week after the death of its CEO, Graziano Transmissioni India reopened and is functioning smoothly with casual labourers. Meanwhile, on 2 October 2008, a few workers, their relatives, and the family members of arrested workers held a sit-in at Jantar Mantar for justice. They, with the help of the leaders of Hind Mazdoor Sabha, the central union with which the workers are associated, have handed over a memorandum to the Prime Minister requesting his intervention in the immediate release and the reinstatement of the workers. “How long could we wait? The only solution is to consume poison and end my life and that of my children. It is not fair to my children. But how can I leave them to become victims alone?” laments 26-year-old Madhuri, wife of Umesh Chandra Sahoo, a jailed worker. Madhuri is sapped of courage after struggling to make both ends meet for five months since Umesh was sacked by the company. Madhuri was candid whereas many young wives of arrested Graziano workers wore stony faces, holding the agony and trauma within themselves.

Bail has been set at Rs 2 lakhs. Shivsankar was lucky to be released after his relatives managed to arrange the money. Rameshwar Singh from Gajorala also got bail. The conditions of the workers in jail are deplorable. “Every time we go to meet them, we bribe the jail authorities,” says Asha, the wife of a worker. Those who have got bail agree. “Half the fruit brought for us are given to the police,” says Vijay Kumar, who was out on bail, adding, “This is besides the money we have to pay.”

The workers have to do all sorts of menial jobs, including cleaning toilets and drains. “The jail has a system of bribes. Pay this much for not sweeping and mopping and a higher amount for not working at all,” another worker on bail added.

“Seeing them in jail and the suffering we face has made us lose our faith in the government,” says Anuradha, wife of Pankesh, who is in jail. “Landlords want us to be thrown out for not paying rent. The children are in school. We have to meet their needs.” The woes are endless.

Aiming at reaching full production capacity as soon as possible, the Graziano plant in Greater NOIDA has started functioning. “We are not willing to lose ground due to this malicious act of violence, but will continue to expand, bringing well-paid jobs to this region of India,” says Marcello Lamberto, Segment CEO of Oerlikon in a press statement. However, innocents are languishing in Dasna jail. Every day they dream of a miracle—money being raised for bail or orders being issued for their release. These workers long to return to their family and return to work.