More than 40,000 factory workers, protesting low wages and poor working conditions, clashed with police earlier this week across nearly 80 locations in the city.
Factory workers during a protest demanding a hike in wages, in Noida on Monday, April 13, 2026. (PTI)
Violence triggered by a massive workers’ protest in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, has spiralled into a sharp political confrontation, with the opposition accusing the state government of administrative failure while the ruling dispensation points to a “pre-planned conspiracy.”
More than 40,000 factory workers, protesting low wages and poor working conditions, clashed with police earlier this week across nearly 80 locations in the city.
The unrest included incidents of arson, stone-pelting, traffic disruptions and attacks on security personnel, prompting large-scale police action and arrests.
The fallout comes at a sensitive political moment. Uttar Pradesh is due to hold local body elections in May-June this year, with Assembly polls scheduled for 2027.
The state is widely regarded as a stronghold of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won over 39 per cent of the vote in 2017 and more than 41 per cent in the 2022 Assembly elections.
Opposition Attacks BJP
Sensing an opening, the Samajwadi Party and the Indian National Congress mounted a coordinated attack on the BJP government.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the administration was aware of simmering anger among workers but failed to act.
“What happened in Noida happened because of the failure of this government. If this is a conspiracy, then the Chief Minister and the BJP are responsible,” he said, predicting the BJP’s defeat in the 2027 Assembly polls.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi echoed the criticism, calling the protest “the final cry of this country’s workers” whose concerns had long been ignored.
In a post on X, Gandhi highlighted the financial strain on industrial workers, noting that an average monthly salary of ₹12,000 is inadequate amid rising rents and inflation.
“By the time a worker gets a ₹300 annual salary hike, rent goes up by ₹500. This is the reality behind the slogan of ‘Developed India’,” Gandhi said, also linking domestic distress to global factors such as wars in West Asia and Ukraine, supply-chain disruptions and inflation.
He accused the government led by Narendra Modi of shielding big industrialists while daily-wage earners bore the brunt of economic shocks.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai went further, branding the state a “failed government” and condemning the police action against protesters. He demanded the release of detained workers.
Government Alleges Conspiracy
The BJP-led state government has rejected allegations of misgovernance, insisting the violence was orchestrated. Labour Minister Anil Rajbhar claimed the agitation appeared to be part of a “deep-seated conspiracy” with links to “handlers in Pakistan.”
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath struck a similar note, warning against forces seeking to disrupt industrial peace. He appealed to entrepreneurs to engage directly with workers and assured both sides of government protection.
Police said the protests were hijacked by organised groups. Noida Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh said investigators had uncovered evidence of coordination through protest-specific WhatsApp groups and possibly foreign funding.
More than 300 people have been arrested so far, including six accused of arson.
Authorities also alleged that “ultra-left” elements incited violence, attacked police personnel and damaged government property.
Wage Hike Announced
Amid the standoff, the UP government announced an interim hike of about 21 per cent in minimum wages, effective April 1.
Under the revised rates, minimum monthly pay has been fixed at ₹13,690 for unskilled workers, ₹15,059 for semi-skilled workers, and ₹16,868 for skilled workers in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad.
The government, however, denied claims that the minimum wage had been raised to ₹20,000 per month, stating that a broader revision process is underway at the national level.
April 14, 2026, 13:40 IST
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