Workers in Bhiwadi protested demanding a substantial hike in wages, citing rising inflation and the recent 35% wage increase announced in neighbouring Haryana.
The demonstration outside the factory unit led to road blockades; police had to intervene to clear the area and restore traffic, though the protest remained largely peaceful.
The agitation reflects growing discontent among factory workers in Rajasthan’s industrial areas, echoing similar protests in Haryana and other manufacturing hubs seeking better pay and working conditions.
Workers Protest Outside Factory In Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi, Demand Wage Hike
Hundreds of workers staged a protest outside an industrial unit in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan on Monday, demanding a significant wage increase amid rising living costs, with the demonstration turning tense as police intervened to maintain order.
Summary
The protest, which gathered momentum in the Khushkheda–Karauli industrial belt, saw hundreds of labourers demanding better pay to match the recent wage revisions in neighbouring states like Haryana, where minimum wages were hiked by nearly 35% following similar worker agitations.
According to local reports, the demonstrators alleged that despite rising inflation and increased living expenses, their wages had not been revised for a long time. The workers, many of whom are migrants from different parts of the country, blocked the road outside the unit, bringing traffic to a standstill for several hours.
Police personnel were quickly deployed to the spot to control the situation. While the protest remained largely peaceful initially, it turned tense at times, prompting authorities to use mild force to clear the blockade and restore normalcy. No major injuries or arrests were immediately reported, but the incident highlights growing labour unrest in Rajasthan’s industrial hubs.
This agitation comes in the backdrop of similar protests in nearby industrial areas of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, where workers have been pressing for wage parity and better working conditions. Labour unions have argued that factories in Bhiwadi must align salaries with the revised minimum wages announced in neighbouring regions to prevent skilled workers from migrating elsewhere.
Industrial associations, on the other hand, have called for dialogue and warned that frequent disruptions could affect production and investment in the region. Bhiwadi, located in Alwar district (now part of Khairthal-Tijara), is a major auto-components and manufacturing hub that employs thousands of workers.
Officials from the Labour Department are expected to intervene and initiate talks between the management and worker representatives to resolve the dispute at the earliest.
The incident underscores the broader challenge of balancing industrial growth with fair compensation for the workforce in India’s rapidly expanding manufacturing sector.
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