Noida protest ‘last cry’ of workers: Rahul Gandhi

He claimed that while wages see marginal annual increases of around Rs 300, rents tend to rise by Rs 500 or more, effectively eroding any financial gain.

“By the time incomes rise, inflation has already tightened its grip,” he said, adding that this cycle was pushing workers deeper into debt.

Referring to conversations with workers, Gandhi highlighted the impact of rising fuel prices. He quoted a woman worker saying while the cost of cooking gas continues to increase, wages remain stagnant. He suggested that during periods of sharp price rise, families may have been forced to purchase cylinders at significantly higher rates, affecting household budgets.

Gandhi also linked the situation to global developments, including disruptions in supply chains due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia and broader inflationary trends. However, he argued that the burden of these factors had fallen disproportionately on daily-wage earners rather than large industrial players.

The Congress leader further raised concerns over the implementation of new labour codes by the government, stating that longer working hours of up to 12 hours a day had added to the strain on workers, who were already struggling to meet basic expenses such as school fees for their children.

He said the demand by Noida workers for a monthly wage of Rs 20,000 should be seen as a basic necessity rather than excess. Gandhi added that he stood with workers. Describing workers as the backbone of the country, he said they were facing increasing economic pressure.