Noida protest: Why do labour disputes get treated as ‘law and order’ issue?

Workers in the industrial belts of the NCR region and beyond have been agitating for better wages since February 2026 On April 13, a protest in Noida over salary disparities descended into violence. Around 50 vehicles were burn. Police resorted to lathi-charge. Over 300 workers were arrested. Many are still in jail, and serious charges have been framed against them. Trade union activists have claimed that the workers were demonstrating peacefully and had no incentive to resort to violence. State governments are mandated to revise the minimum wage rate every five years. But the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments hadn’t done so for over 10 years. But now, following the workers’ protests, they have announced modest hikes. What really went down on April 13 in the Noida strike? What has been the on-ground impact of the four new Labour Codes notified by the government? How challenging it is for workers in India to agitate peacefully for their rights? Guest: Shreya Ghosh from the Centre for Struggling Trade Unions (CSTU) Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Edited and produced by: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices