'Give exemplary punishment in Maruti violence case'

Chandigarh, Jul 25: The

government today said it will ensure that those who indulged in

at

Suzuki's Manesar plant are punished "without delay" and it should act as a "deterrent" to such incidents.

It has also said the violence was not spontaneous and was designed to disturb industrial peace in the state.

A senior Maruti official was killed and 100 injured in violence at the plant last week. The police has arrested over 100 workers following the incident.

"It is our bounden duty to ensure that the guilty be given exemplary punishment with speed and trial commences so that punishment to perpetrators of the crime becomes an example for others not to indulge in such incidents," Haryana Industry Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala told PTI today.

After forming Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident, the state government has appointed criminal lawyer KTS Tulsi as the special prosecutor for the trial.

The minister said the matter was being investigated by the SIT and there would be a fair probe. "Give one or two weeks to SIT (for the completion of probe)," he said.

Maruti Suzuki has demanded that the inquiry be expedited.

Surjewala said the violence was not spontaneous and it was a "designed" act to damage industrial peace in the state.

"Prima facie, it is a concerted effort to disturb industrial peace...It is not a spontaneous (incident) and it is also not a labour unrest issue," he said.

Surjewala added, however, that he does not want to prejudge anything.

Surjewala said Maruti Suzuki follows best labour practices.

On the allegations of some of the injured that the police remained a mute spectator when the violence erupted, the minister declined to comment.

He said, however, that the police can't enter the shop floor of the factory premises until the management permits.

On the CBI probe demanded by Mahapanchayat of villages around the Manesar plant, Surjewala rejected it saying, "they (Mahapanchayat) were not directly related to this incident."

"We respect the opinion of Panchayats...(but) are they affected parties?...They are not directly related to this incident," he said.

Asked about the impact of the incident on investments, the minister said, "Both Maruti's ongoing investment and new investments will not be affected at all (because of Maruti incident)."

He said Haryana will continue to remain a favourite investment destination.

PTI