Mumbai, April 17 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Friday accused the BJP of labelling the Noida labour protest as “Pakistani Conspiracy”, saying that it is an insult to India’s workforce and a sign of “cowardly mentality”.
The Thackeray camp, in a scathing editorial of the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, claimed that the BJP uses Pakistan as a political crutch to deflect from their own failures in governance and border security.
The editorial said similar claims of “Pakistani or terrorist” infiltration were made during previous farmer protests in Delhi. It suggests that whenever labourers or farmers demand their rights, the government labels them as enemies rather than addressing their legitimate economic concerns.
The editorial refers to the recent protest by thousands of workers from the electronics, automobile, and textile sectors who took to the streets to demand a hike in wages, highlighting economic distress. Despite soaring inflation, many labourers report earning only Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per month, with annual raises as low as Rs 300.
“The protesters, the majority of whom are Hindus, cited extreme difficulty affording basic necessities such as rent, food, education, and fuel. While the demonstrations eventually turned violent — resulting in arson and stone-pelting — labourers argue they were left with no choice as both employers and the government refused to address their economic exploitation. The situation intensified when Uttar Pradesh Labour Minister Anil Rajbhar suggested the protest was a well-planned conspiracy and claimed authorities are investigating a Pakistani link,” said the editorial.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena alleged that despite being in power for 12 years, the BJP-led government cannot stop infiltrators, which is administrative incompetence. “While Home Minister Amit Shah claims credit for ending Maoism and Naxalism, why is the government unable to neutralise ‘Pakistani handlers’ if they are indeed present in domestic protests. Similar allegations were previously made during the farmers’ protests in Delhi, where participants were also labelled as terrorists or Pakistani agents,” it said.
The editorial points out that the backlash was because the labour laws are increasingly favouring major capitalists while stripping protections from unorganised workers.
“From MPSC students in Maharashtra to Anganwadi workers, various groups are protesting for their rights, yet their demands are often ignored or dismissed as foreign interference. Labelling struggling Indian citizens as “Pakistani” for demanding fair pay is not just a failure of the state, but a “horrific insult” to the very labour force that built the nation,” remarked the Thackeray camp.
The editorial said that while the government boasts of foreign investment, the reality for teachers, students, and manual labourers remains one of struggle and ignored demands.
–IANS
sj/dpb