Monday morning in Noida’s Phase-2 witnessed thousands of workers erupting in fury, turning a simmering protest into a full-blown violent agitation. Roads were blocked, vehicles set on fire, and stones were pelted, forcing police to deploy tear gas to disperse the crowd.

What made the situation more surprising was that the administration had already accepted most of the workers’ demands the previous night, including salary payment by the 10th of every month, double wages for overtime, and bonus disbursement by November 30. Despite these assurances, employees from nearly 500 companies took to the streets because their core demands — a minimum wage of ₹26,000 per month, an 8-hour work cap, and a mandatory weekly day off — remained unaddressed. Workers stated that earning just ₹500-₹700 per day is simply not enough to survive in today’s era of rising prices. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a tough stance, instructing officials to identify agitators and troublemakers and take strict action, while also calling for enhanced security in industrial zones and restoration of peace through dialogue.