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13 Maruti-Suzuki Workers Convicted of Murder for Forming a Trade Union The New Trade Union Initiative condemns the judgment of the Additional District and Sessions Court, Gurgaon, in the 18 July 2012 incident at Maruti-Suzuki Limited’s Manesar plant, in which a manager unfortunately lost his life, convicting 13 workers with murder. 18 other have been variously convicted for trespass, unlawful assembly, mischief and rioting and possession of deadly weapons. 117 workers who were kept under arrest for at least 31 months and more have been acquitted of all charges. The sentences of the 31 convicted workers will be announced by the court on 17 March. The ruling of the District court after a four-and-a-half year trial is based on flimsy and weak evidence. In the course of the hearings the prosecution failed to establish even circumstantial evidence to show that any of those convicted in any way caused the violence that took place, leave alone the death. The ruling also goes against the [...]

Is there any Justice possible for Workers in this Country? We have been handed an anti-worker political verdict in the Maruti Suzuki workers case going on since July 2012. This Judgment is ‘class justice’, clearly on the side of the multinational companies. It is not only against the workers directly involved in struggle for Trade Union Rights and the 2500 working class families of Maruti Suzuki facing exploitation-repression all these years, but the entire working class in India, particularly in Gurgaon-Manesar to Neemrana industrial belts. This is despite the fact that no evidence was found against any worker to either the unfortunate death of the HR official or fire in the factory on 18th July 2012. 31 of 148 workers in Jail for last over 4 years have been convicted even against clear evidences to the contrary. 117 workers among the 148 – who spent over 4 years in Jail – have been acquitted of all charges. With convictions and charges declared, the arguments [...]