Twist In Wistron Violence Case? Company Reduces Loss Figures From Rs 437 Cr To Just Rs 47 Cr

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj S Bommai claimed that the incident, which is being aggressively reported in international media, has been blown out of proportion.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: In a whimsical turn of events, the Tiwan-headquartered Wistron Corporation, which earlier claimed to suffer a loss of Rs 437.40 crore in the violence caused by workers in its factory premises located at Narasapura Industrial Area in Kolar, Karnataka over salary issues, on Wednesday reduced its loss figure to as low as Rs 43 crore. The announcement was made by Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj S Bommai who claimed that the incident, which is being aggressively reported in international media, has been blown out of proportion. “Police has taken prompt action and arrested 164 persons. The Wistron company which said 437 cr loss earlier now has in writing that loss is 43 cr, therefore, some international media is blowing out of proportion (sic),” Basavaraj S Bommai tweeted earlier in the day. The company had earlier reported a loss of Rs 437.40 crore in a written complaint to Karnataka Police. However, media reports suggest that even the company has now told the Police that the losses due to violence in its premises were of Rs 43 crore and not Rs 437.80 crore. A large number of workers of the facility went on a rampage last week destroying office equipment, vehicles, machines, costly gadgets and glass cabins allegedly over salary issues. As per reports, more than 150 people have been arrested in connection with the incident. Karnataka government has condemned the incident and promised to initiate stringent action against the culprits. Even the Centre has taken due note of the incident at the Wistron factory premises as the DPIIT has urged the Karnataka government to complete the inquiry into the incident at the earliest. Accordingly, the Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has spoken with the senior officials of the Karnataka government, advising them to complete the inquiry into the incident at the earliest, identify the culprits, look into the wages and labour related matters there, and also ensure that investor sentiment is not affected due to such one-off incident. Earlier while speaking to news agency PTI, Karnataka Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar said meetings have taken place at the government level and also with the union Cabinet Secretary from Delhi -- the Centre is also involved. Over 150 people were arrested following the incident that witnessed pelting of stones, breaking windows and doors, overturning and setting fire to vehicles in the parking lot footage of which had flooded the social media. The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) alleged that the incident was the direct result of the exploitative, illegal practices of the employer and the complete lack of regulation from the state government.