Delays in bringing the guilty to justice will only embolden unruly elements and give them courage to resort to violence in the future, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) said on Tuesday in a statement.   

The industry body was referring to the violence at car market leader Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant on July 18. The larger impact of this was discussed at its Executive Committee meeting on July 25.

“The Central Government needs to urgently conduct a detailed review of the labour laws which are today antiquated and require major reforms. All stakeholders need to be involved in the revision and modernisation of labour policies,” it said.

Violence at the plant left a senior company manager dead and 96 others injured.

SIAM further said the Central and State Governments need to send a strong message to the entire industrial community — workers, unions and managements.

“Violence of any kind cannot be allowed to be used as a means for forcing a decision. The mechanism for collective bargaining laid down by the laws of the land involving peaceful discussions and negotiations is the only acceptable mechanism,” it said.

It added that such developments may also lead to a flight of foreign capital. “Such incidents are noticed globally by industry as well as investors, thereby vitiating the investment climate and damaging the overall image of the country as an investment destination,” SIAM said.

roudra.b@thehindu.co.in

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