Maruti stir continues, despite court’s ban

Even as the Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday asked agitating workers to not demonstrate within 100m of Maruti Suzuki India Limited's (MSIL) Manesar plant, the workers continued their protests there.

Trade unions from across Gurgaon, Manesar, Dharuhera and Bawal, including workers' unions of companies like Honda, Satyam Auto, Munjal Showa and Endurance Technologies, also joined the strike on Thursday in support of MSIL workers.

"Members of these unions will hold a dharna on October 17 at the district headquarters across Haryana and workers of the Gurgaon region will observe a tool down from 11am to 1pm that day," said Satbir Singh, president of CITU's Haryana unit.

Hearing a petition filed by MSIL, the high court asked Gurgaon police chief SS Deswal to remove the demonstrators from the premises. "We would be using public address system. We might be compelled to use force, if the workers refuse to evict the plant," Deswal said. He added that the open ground behind Raheja Square in Sector 2A in IMT Manesar has been earmarked for the striking employees to hold protests.