Amid labour movement in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, some unsavory elements were pursuing a Pakistani agenda. Two social media accounts were continuously active from Pakistan to hijack the workers’ protest, which escalated the violence that erupted on April 13.
Gautam Buddha Nagar Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh on Thursday revealed a major Pakistani connection behind the Noida violence. Police have also found evidence of this.
Laxmi Singh stated that there has been peace in Noida for the past two days. Police conducted a flag march to restore order. Workers worked peacefully in one to three shifts in all industrial units in the Noida area.
Laxmi Singh stated that on April 13, a mob rioted and the police controlled it. However, after the violence subsided in the afternoon, an attempt was made to spread a false narrative through two social media handles. The false narrative of workers’ deaths in police firing was also spread. The incident was circulated through tweets, which enraged the returning workers. Cases were filed against these two X handles at Sector 20 police station.
During the investigation, details obtained from X on Thursday revealed that these two handles were continuously operating from Pakistan. Their internet connectivity and IP addresses were Pakistani. These handles were also using VPNs. The investigation is ongoing.
The Police Commissioner stated that the Uttar Pradesh government, accepting the recommendations of the high-level committee, has increased the minimum wage for all workers, which has brought a sense of satisfaction. Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a wage board in response to the workers’ sentiments and demands, and all workers have been informed of this. Workers have happily returned to work following this decision.
Police Commissioner Lakshmi Singh appealed to the workers of Gautam Buddha Nagar, as well as the general public, not to be provoked by anyone. She urged them to ignore rumors and report any such incidents to the police. Gautam Buddha Nagar has been a peaceful district, where both industries and public life function normally. Please cooperate with the police in maintaining this.