Tribal construction workers struggle for unpaid wages in Ahmedabad district

By Jag Jivan

In the , a group of tribal construction workers from Gujarat's and are struggling to recover their unpaid wages after weeks of labouring at a warehouse construction site of a prominent manufacturer of , used in the . The workers, including both men and women, were engaged through a contracted and subcontracted arrangement.

From September 3 to October 16, 2025, they reportedly worked day and night on masonry, plastering, and other construction tasks. Among them were eight skilled masons, while the others served as helpers and general labourers. The total wage due to the workers was ₹3,12,000, of which only ₹1,41,000 was paid, leaving ₹1,71,000 still pending.

Following a complaint filed by the workers, the Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan (BMS), an organisation representing unorganised sector workers, approached the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Deputy Labour Commissioner, and the on October 18 to seek intervention.

of the BMS said that despite multiple meetings with labour officials, the company refused a proposal to make an interim payment of ₹1,00,000 to the workers before , with the remaining dues to be settled later through a formal hearing. A suggestion that the subcontracted party pay ₹50,000 to help the workers return home for the festival was also not honoured.

According to Pandya, the workers were made to sign payment acknowledgments on the assurance that they would soon receive their wages, but the payments never came. The company has now reportedly withheld payment to the subcontracted party after receiving a notice from the Assistant Labour Commissioner.

“As a result, the workers are trapped between the main company, the contracting and subcontracting units, and the labour department—moving helplessly from one door to another for their rightful wages,” Pandya said. “It has become painfully clear that industrialists and contractors who blatantly violate labour laws no longer fear the Labour Department. Even when workers approach the authorities, the system seems powerless to ensure that they receive their unpaid wages.”

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

If Maoist violence is illegitimate, how is Hindutva, state violence justified? Can right-wing wash off its sins?

By Swami Agnivesh* and Sandeep Pandey** There was major police action against Sudha Bhardwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Varvara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira on 28 August, 2018. Before this police arrested Professor Shoma Sen, Adocate Sudhir Gadling, Sudhir Dhawle, Mahesh Raut and Rona Wilson on 6 June. Even before this Dr. Binayak Sen, Soni Sori, Ajay TG, Professor GN Saibaba and Prashant Rahi have been arrested and all these activists have been accused of having links with Maoists.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Counterview

Search This Blog