Gujarat Police foils bid to lockdown Tata Nano plant; detains 700 people

Gujarat Police on Thursday foiled a bid to lockdown Tata Nano plant near Ahmedabad by detaining OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and his supporters, who were demanding jobs for local youths in industries in the State.

Thakor had on Wednesday given a call to lockdown the plant at Sanand GIDC area as part of his agitation against industries which he claimed are not employing local youths.

“Thakor and his around 450 supporters were detained 3km away from the Sanand GIDC,” Ahmedabad Rural SP R V Asari said.

“We also detained around 250 people from different parts of the district who were headed to join a rally organised by Thakor. Around 700 people were detained and later let off,” he said.

The State Government had deployed a large police force in Sanand and surrounding areas following the threat given by Thakor, Convener of OBC, SC-ST Ekta Manch.

“Industries coming to Gujarat have to give 85 per cent employment in their plants to local youths as per a Government rule. However, this rule is not being followed despite lakhs of Gujarat youths being unemployed,” Thakor had said.

“We demand the State Government put pressure on these industries to give 85 per cent jobs to local youths. We will lockdown industries which don’t follow this rule, he had said.

Tata’s Nano plant was shifted in Gujarat from Singur in West Bengal after it faced protests over land acquisition in the eastern state. The plant was established here when Narendra Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

The facility produces only a limited number of the small car and Tata Motors manufactures other models at the plant.