Big business relatively unaffected amid Haryana communal unrest

Industry and manufacturing representatives say they are not seeing a significant impact from the law and order situation in Gurugram, and even Maruti Suzuki’s operations in nearby Manesar appear to be functioning smoothly.

Anadi Sinha, president of human resource management at Uno Minda and Chairman of Gurugram zone, Confederation of Indian Industry, attested that all 14 of his company’s plants are fully operational, adding that its clients, including Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant, are accepting 100 per cent deliveries.

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“Most of the disturbances took place in the non-industrial areas. From our members in the region, who own a combined 250 plants or facilities, we haven’t heard any incidents of full or partial closure. The administration has been very proactive in curbing the violence,” Sinha said.

Communal clashes broke out in parts of Haryana after a Hindu religious procession in Muslim-dominated Nuh district saw stone pelting and vandalism on Monday. A death toll of five citizens, including two Home Guards, forced state administration to deploy paramilitary forces, suspend internet services and consequently impose Section 144 in Faridabad, Palwal and Gurugram.

Meanwhile, big corporations and startups in the business hub have directed employees to work from home even as offices remain open and operational.

Ernst & Young India issued an advisory to its NCR employees, urging them to exercise caution and discuss alternate plans with counselors to work flexibly on August 3 and 4.

“Since 50 per cent of our workforce has been working in a hybrid mode, restrictions imposed post the riots are unlikely to affect our functioning,” said an employee at E&Y’s Gurugram office.

The employee, who resides in Gurgaon sector 47, also confirmed that food delivery services are functioning as usual, however with delays.

The representative of a food delivery company, who did not wish to be named, said that it is prioritising safety of its delivery partners even if that means deliveries getting delayed.

Another employee at a multinational financial services company said that while the company has been implementing work for home, offices are open with skeleton staffing, for whom pick up and drops are being provided by the employer.

Neighborhood stores have, however, seen some disruption over the last week as shoppers restricted excursions. “It’s like the lockdown situation, markets have been closing at 5 PM, which is when most of the footfall comes. My business has personally been reduced by 20-25 per cent in the past week,” said 43-year Manoj Sharma, who owns a kitchenware store in Gurugam’s DLF Phase 4.

A majority of Muslim shop owners in the area and surrounding villages, most of whom hail from Uttar Pradesh, have shut shop and returned home owing to safety concerns, further aggravating the halt in local business, Sharma said. Local traders are now hoping that if Friday prayers go smoothly, a return to normalcy in business can be expected, he added.