A tripartite meeting of Maruti officials, workers’ representatives and Government can help in creating conditions to restart production at the locked-out plant in Manesar, a team of Haryana lawyers has said.

The lawyers’ team, led by Mr Raghbir Singh Hooda, President, All India Lawyers Union-Haryana, met Maruti officials and police officials as well as workers in custody on July 28.

“We wanted to find out the root-cause of violence in the plant on July 18 that led to the gruesome death of an HR Manager and left many officials and workers injured,’’ said Mr Hooda.

Two things emerged after queries, said the team’s report.

One, there was heavy engagement of contract labour at the plant, and two, this labour did not enjoy any rights or protection provided by labour laws.

Report findings

On the July 18 incident, the report blamed the “arrogant and inconsiderate behaviour of the management” as also some of the union leadership. Had the management suspended both the workers and the supervisor pending an inquiry, the violence could have been avoided and a life could have been saved, Mr Hooda said.

Also, the team found out that all the injured officials suffered “grievous injuries on their legs and other non-vital parts” of the body and “none on the head, including the deceased”.

This fact establishes that while rioting, the object of workers was to beat up and not murder anybody, the report said. Further, none except the deceased suffered burn injuries, which shows that there was no intention to put any person on fire, it added.

Mr Hooda, who visited the arrested workers, said a good number among them were apprentices. “They had nothing to do with the union,” he added.

The team called for a fair probe by the Haryana police and flayed the attempts by certain political elements to fan regional and caste sentiments.

>aditi.n@thehindu.co.in

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