Maruti Suzuki plant violence reflects social unrest: Azim Premji

Wipro Chairman Azim Premji has spoken out against the violence that Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant witnessed on July 18, killing a senior management official, along with injuring 100 others.

The business leader suggested that the act is "representative of the social unrest building up in the country".

Noting that the issue was going to be a major focus area of businesses and trade associations, he said the government should act ruthlessly to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

"The incident at the Manesar plant is a representative of the social unrest ...building up in the country and among (trade) unions... It was pretty extreme, pretty ruthless and very unfortunate," Premji said.

The incident on July 18-19 forced the Japanese car maker to declare an indefinite lock-out in its Indian subsidiary's second plant at Manesar, about 40 km from New Delhi.

"It is important that individuals and associations take up the cause that led to violence in the plant's office. Otherwise, these examples can repeat," Premji observed.

Elaborating on the cause for social unrest, the IT czar said when growth slowed down, even job creation slowed.

"As a result, unemployed and idle people can generate social unrest," Premji added.

With inputs from IANS