Enough workers at Manesar to produce 150 units per day: RC Bhargava, Maruti Suzuki - The Economic Times
ET Now: As per reports, around 500 workers were found guilty of the violence at the Manesar plant. Apart from firing them, what other actions is the company looking to take?
RC Bhargava: No, let me make it clear that these workers have not been tried or charge-sheeted or found guilty in any way. These are workers whom our internal inquiries have shown as having participated in the violence. Since we are going to start production with people who have been the victims of this violence, one of the conditions of starting was that these managers and supervisors were very clear they will work where people who were involved in violence were not present.
These 500 people have been identified based on the statements of people who were in the factory but were not injured. It is a one-sided inquiry; we have not given the workers the chance to rebut this. However, we are satisfied based on our managers' and supervisors' statements that these people were all part of the crowd which indulged in the violent activities on the 18th.
ET Now: So you are saying this is a one-sided inquiry, and those 500 people have been asked not to report to work based on the managerial statements themselves. Do you expect there could possibly be some disturbance by these workers? What security steps have you taken for that?
RC Bhargava: The district administration has ensured that if these people create any disturbance outside the factory, it would be the district administration's responsibility to take care of it. Inside the factory, we are responsible for taking care of any kind of disturbance that may be created. We have enough security forces available both inside and outside the factory to handle any disturbance that might be created in addition to the police and the security forces.
The local community leaders have all supported Maruti. They want production to start. They do not want this kind of violence and disruption of production. Therefore, I expect that we may not even need to use the police force, etc., because the influence of the local community leaders will ensure that nothing wrong happens in the future.
ET Now: Is the state government likely to initiate any legal action against these workers?
RC Bhargava: That is a separate action because the police are investigating the criminal charges for the criminal offenses that took place. One man died. About 50 odd people had limbs and bones broken. Those are all criminal offenses. The police are investigating the criminal charges and based on the investigation, the police will file charge sheets against those who they feel should be prosecuted based on the evidence.