Shiv Nadar University workers protest, demand salary hike

Hundreds of men and women workers at Shiv Nadar University in Greater Noida’s Dadri area staged a sit-in protest on Wednesday morning, demanding a substantial salary hike and doubling of overtime payments. The demonstrators squatted on the road outside the university’s main entrance gate, raising slogans to press their demands.

However, Gautam Buddh Nagar police officials confirmed that the situation remained entirely peaceful and was swiftly brought under control following constructive talks with the protesters.

The protest erupted around early in the morning as contractual and support staff gathered in large numbers, highlighting long-standing grievances over compensation. Key demands included an immediate increase in base salaries and enhanced overtime rates, alongside other unspecified issues related to working conditions.

However, by 10:45 AM, the demonstration ended as the senior police officials spoke to the protesters, and they agreed to the suggestions given by the district administration. A senior police official stated, “The situation remained peaceful and normalcy was restored after discussions with the workers. There is no ongoing protest at the site.” Authorities praised the restraint shown by both sides, emphasising dialogue as the key to resolution. No arrests or disruptions to university operations were reported, and traffic movement in the Dadri area returned to normal shortly afterwards.

This incident at the private university comes against the backdrop of simmering labour unrest across Noida and Greater Noida. Just days earlier, on April 13-14, large-scale protests by factory workers in Noida’s industrial hubs, including Phase-2 and the Hosiery Complex, turned violent. Demands for higher wages, timely payments, bonuses, and overtime compensation led to clashes, stone-pelting, arson, and vandalism. Over 300 individuals were arrested, and seven FIRs were registered in connection with those events.

Taking pre-emptive measures, the Gautam Buddha Nagar Police intensified security measures on Wednesday. Additional Police Commissioner, Law and Order, Rajiv Narayan Mishra, along with senior officers, conducted flag marches and foot patrols in sensitive areas.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Manisha Singh led similar exercises in the Phase-1 police station area, coordinating with local teams and even Delhi Police personnel. Officials directed continuous patrolling by PCR and PRV vehicles, urging field units to take strict action against any attempts to disturb peace or spread rumours.

Manisha Singh appealed to the public for cooperation, warning of legal consequences for those disrupting law and order.

District Magistrate Medha Roopam, in a high-level review meeting, issued stern warnings to outsourcing agencies and contractors. She cautioned against blacklisting firms that breach regulations, emphasising direct bank transfers of minimum wages without deductions and the need for industrial harmony. Disruptions, she noted, harm workers, employers, and the local economy alike. A minor-related protest by domestic help outside a premium high-rise society on Tuesday, demanding salary hikes and additional leave, further underscored the prevailing discontent.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, the Shiv Nadar University campus and surrounding areas reported complete calm, with no fresh incidents. University authorities have not issued an official statement on the workers’ demands or ongoing negotiations.

FIR registered against two RJD spokespersons in Noida

Noida: In a fresh development amid the ongoing labour unrest in Noida, the Gautam Buddha Nagar cyber police station has registered an FIR against two national spokespersons of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Priyanka Bharti and Dr Kanchana Yadav. The duo has been accused of sharing a misleading video on the social media platform X, falsely linking it to the Noida workers’ protests and allegedly inciting tension in the region.

According to police officials, the FIR was lodged on Tuesday evening following a complaint by Sub-Inspector Susheel Kumar of the Commissionerate’s Media Cell. Investigations revealed that the viral clip, which showed police detaining a man, was actually recorded on April 11 in the Budhar police station area of Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh. The footage depicted an inebriated individual creating a public disturbance and had no connection to the labour protests in Noida’s Phase-2 or Sector-62 areas. Yet, the RJD leaders allegedly posted it with captions suggesting it was police brutality against protesting workers, thereby spreading misinformation.

The Noida workers’ protests, which erupted over demands for wage hikes in factories, have seen sporadic violence, leading to over 350 arrests and seven FIRs so far. Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh has described the unrest as partly fuelled by an ‘organised syndicate’ using social media to amplify rumours.